For the first half of my childhood the grocery clerk didn't ask this question. We had no choice. It was just paper. They would fill the paper bags with groceries and we would empty them at home. Then we folded them up along their creases, and tucked them away on the side of the refrigerator. Later we'd pull out a bag and use it as an extra trash bin, stuff it with must haves to carry to a friends', or cut one up, wrap it around a text book, and decorate it.
The 70's child was taught to conserve trees. And to try not to use so much paper. We loved our Mother Earth. Finding more uses for the grocery bag made us feel better. Like we were making a difference.
Then something HUGE happened! Along came plastic. Wonderful plastic! There were even commercials touting the virtues of plastic. This product would save us from our environment wrecking, tree killer selves. Here's a Pepsi commercial from 1978:
See?? Wasn't that great?! Can't you just feel the excitement and joy?!
A few years later Coca-Cola came out with plastic 1/2 liter bottles. The nation was thrilled! We could now drop our sodas and they wouldn't break. Over the years we went wild for plastic. One day it even showed up in the form of a grocery bag. When I heard, "paper or plastic?" at check out, boy did I feel like an A+ citizen when I boldly replied, "plastic." I was doing my part. You're welcome world.
Well that was the eighties. We did our best. The fast food industry even abolished their Styrofoam food containers. We tried.
Now it's the future, and the right answer to "paper or plastic?" is "neither, thank you. I brought my own multi-use bag constructed of recycled stuff." Unfortunately, I never have my act together enough to bring said bags with me to the grocery store. May constantly gets after me about it and wants me to leave them in the Nav. But it's hard enough to keep it picked up without leaving permanent clutter in there.
I don't know, give me time. At least I own a few. That's the first step. I must admit, I didn't actually buy them myself. I won them at a neighborhood party. They were a prize from my dear friend, Angela. She clearly loves Mother Earth way more than me. After all, I brought jewelry as my prize giveaway. Amy Chinn, Rotten Polluter!
What about you? How do you answer the question, "paper or plastic?"
PS: Here's a picture of sweet Angela and me at her baby shower last night...
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