Bananas Have Their Own Bag

An alternative title for “Did They Wow?” has always been, “ThingsI”mNotAvailableFor.com” Among these things, people who put fruit and vegetables in plastic bags at the supermarket or farm stand.

Now, I will admit that bringing in your own bags to collect your groceries is not for everyone (much as I wish it was) but, to me, putting a bunch of carrots in a plastic bag, 3 peaches in a plastic bag, 5 lemons in a plastic bag… All before putting them all in another, larger plastic bag….Well, it’s a bit upsetting.

What would I recommend instead?

My request would be to simply lay your fruits and vegetables on the checkout conveyor belt as a unit, and let your cashier round them up (if they’ve dispersed) and ring them up. The minimal amount of extra effort required is more than made up for by one less plastic bag under your sink and, subsequently, in a landfill.

If you are concerned that they might somehow get “dirty” on the checkout conveyor belt, I would respond that the conveyor belt is no more germy than the hands that put them on the shelf. I’m guessing (hoping) you’re going to wash them anyway, so simply rinse them a few moments more.

Now I recognize this isn’t a bandwagon everyone is going to want to jump on immediately. If this is true for you– if you’re looking for an incremental step– I recommend beginning with bananas.

They have their own bag.