Chicagoans make the best of a bag situation
In the interest of protecting the environment and ridding the sidewalks and parking lots of discarded plastic grocery bags, the city of Chicago decided to ban stores from using plastic grocery bags beginning August 1. Despite the slight personal inconvenience, I appreciate the gesture. According to the cashiers I've spoken to, I appear to be handling it better than many other Chicagoans.
The ordinance applies to stores larger than 10,000 square feet, with smaller stores having to comply in the coming year. Because of the way the law is written, retailers are still able to offer thicker plastic bags that technically comply. However, according to WGN, two aldermen are pushing to have an amendment that outlaws the thicker bags, as well.
The change in the stores I have visited since the law went into effect has been noticeable. On the first day, as I entered into my always-packed neighborhood mom-and-pop, I noticed an unfamiliar — though strangely comforting — noise. I recognized after a moment it was the crinkling of paper bags, something I hadn't realized was missing from my shopping experience. Likewise, when I checked out, something felt friendlier about having my groceries bagged in paper.
Photo: RetailWire
The mom-and-pop is also offering thicker plastic bags at checkout for 10 cents (billed as being reusable), as well as 99-cent reusable canvas shopping bags. Having never really thought to use reusable grocery bags, seeing them there on display (and having no other option) has gotten me warmed up to the idea. So the theory behind the law seems to be working, at least for me. As for how the rest of the customer base has been handling it, at least two cashiers told me that people are not happy, to say the least.
Over at Walgreens the thicker, law-skirting "reusable" bags are free — no 10 cent charge attached. The cashier there told me that she had already found four or five of the new, thicker plastic bags floating around in the parking lot. Change doesn't come easy.