Green-Baggers

The truth is rarely pure, and never simple

~Oscar Wilde

We are quickly becoming a nation of green-baggers: grocery shoppers who ritualistically produce their own shopping bag as they approach the checkout line. On the few occasions that I shop unexpectedly and without my bag, I feel the guilt when the clerk asks "Do you have a bag?"

Normally, I feel somewhat righteous walking home with my reusable grocery bag, despite the bulk of my diet being produce which I weigh and purchase in—plastic produce bags. The irony isn't only environmental, devoted efforts have been made throughout my life to ensure my food avoided contact with plastic. Even before the current BPA scare, my mother just knew that plastic was bad. All of our food was stored in glass containers. Where other kids had plastic bags in their lunch boxes, I had neatly folded wax paper.

But before I monogrammed a scarlet BPA on my winter jacket, essentially weightless, washable and reusable produce bags appeared at Whole Foods. I picked up a pack ($7.99 for 6) and am further on my way to avoiding plastic in everyday life. The only issue I have with these is that they are all one size, none of which comfortably fits the typically large bunches of Kale and Swiss Chard.

However, a quick search on Amazon revealed that someone has indeed thought of this problem and has made Reusable Grocery and Produce Bags (Set of 15: Large, Medium, and Small Sizes). Happy Greening!