My biggest struggle ...

First of all I want to clarify that I am all for saving the environment. I do everything in my power to make my household a "green" one ... faithfully recycling, composting daily, don't buy bottled water, use biodegradable "pet waste" bags, keep the thermostat at a reasonable 68F, unplug appliances when not in use, turn my laptop off everynight, consciously try to watch for "phantom" power sources. But there is one "green" action that I struggle several times a week with ... THE DREADED RE-USEABLE GROCERY BAG. Those darned things. When they first came out, I thought they were an awesome idea. Such an assortment of funky patterns to choose from! I have at least 2 bags from every grocery store within a 50 mile radius of my house. I have a colour and size for every reason and season known to mankind ... and even a few I've received in the mail. I have the prettiest collection! My problem is, I ALWAYS forget to take them to the store. They sit so organized tucked in a corner near the top of our entryway stairs ... but I always end up walking by them and remember them only once I've driven to the store and am walking to get my cart. Then I have the pang of guilt that I'll have to use plastic. Oh the looks I get from fellow shoppers when I ask for plastic WHAT?? PLASTIC? She's clogging our landfills! But the grocery clerks LOVE me ... they absolutely hate the reuseable bags. I know this as a fact because I've asked a few clerks for their opinion when they give me the dirty look as I hand them my reuseable bags (one of the very few times I've remembered them) to begin their task of totalling and bagging my overflowing cart of groceries.
So you're probably saying "well, if you have so many, why not leave some in the car?" Tried that. I cleverly split my collection between our 2 vehicles so I was covered whichever vehicle I had to take. Worked for about 2 weeks, then they would get left inside instead of being taken back out to the vehicles. I would end up at the grocery store with the vehicle that DIDN'T have the bags in it.
I now collect and carry in a special change purse all nickels I come across. Why you ask? Well, plastic bags cost 5 cents you know ... and I'm the plastic bag queen!
So I'm making another trip to the grocery store today, and will I remember the bags? Probably not. I will hide my face in shame as the clerk totals and bags my purchases IN PLASTIC and I take out my trusty change purse. Oh the guilt ...


Thanks for reading!
Janet xo