I remember many years ago it was heard in every supermarket and gourmet store, “paper or plastic?” But over time this doesn’t come up anymore, stores have made their choice.
Last week while shopping in Hoboken’s branch of Garden of Eden, a gourmet food market, and selecting some items from the salad bar, I was struck by the plastic containers and how wasteful this can be. Like most I don’t want to mix my soggy cole slaw with my cous cous, which means I must use a second container… and what if I want some fruit as well, that would make a third container. Now of course once I get this food home, I can recycle these containers if I choose to, but most people won’t. They also only have plastic shopping bags, not paper.
A few days ago I was in Whole Foods and once again at the salad bar, but this time I noticed lightweight cardboard containers with a glossy coating (for leakage). They are reusable and biodegradable. That along with the fact that they only have paper shopping bags has made Whole Foods a winner.
As Earth Day (4oth Anniversary) approaches on April 22, I thought I’d remind everyone to be aware of how much plastic or paper they’re using and to try not to be so wasteful. I know that I’m going to use less and if the foods mix a bit in the container, who cares?
Many stores have designed reusable shopping bags but the problem with many of these bags are that when you’re out shopping, you remember you left it back home. This is not going to help if you cannot remember to have it with you. I found an adorable “eco-friendly” green nylon bag that folds up into a little case and it’s no bigger than a tissue package. I carry it with me in my pocket book, so it’s ready whenever I need it. I bought it at the American Folk Art Museum and I know that Save The Frogs has one also. At Frogs Are Green (my green company with Mary Jo Rhodes) we’re currently discussing one like this.
