Paper or Plastic?

You should have seen the cashier's face when I offered my first customer this choice. At this go green, eco-friendly store, we no longer offer the choice of plastic or paper. Paper is all you get regardless of the weather. Yes, even during a rain storm. When I rushed home to do some research (just in case they ask for my opinion in the break room), I learned that even my home city banned plastic bags to save the environment.

When did this all happen?

The proud citizens of the United States make up 6% of the population but take up about 50% of the world's waste, so part of my job description is to frown at customers that ask for plastic, compliment customers that bring their own bags, and think before throwing anything away. Recycle? Compost? Trash? Reusable? Green bin? Blue bin? Yellow? Black? But I vow to keep perspective with this whole plastic versus paper discussion just in case the USDA or FDA or USHD or UPS change it on me overnight. You never know what tomorrow may bring. Paper may be the next evil. What if it's injected with salmonella, or cancerous when exposed to the sun? (That didn't go over too well in the break room.)

Are plastic bags sacking the environment, or is it just another fad? I'm unsure, but I think I'm going to order me a few of those fashionable reusable bags the next time I shop for groceries to score a few points with my Head supervisor and fellow face pierced and tattoo-covered colleagues.

That brings me down to only two simple ways to categorize people: Paper or plastic?

Rules to Bagging

People have no idea that bagging is a tough job. It's not just about eggs and bread on top. Customers are very particular about groceries, especially when it comes to THEIR produce and THEIR frozen foods. Once an item is pulled off the shelf and placed in THEIR basket, it's claimed with great protection like an animal and its territory. Be aware!

Here are a few things I did to please MY customers:

-Double seal all soups, salsa, olives and sauces with clear tape
-Secure all buffet items and salads with elastic bands
-Pack cold items separately
-Pack hot items separately
-Put all frozen items in freezer bags
-Protect all gift cards and other paper items in small paper bag to put in big paper bag
-Exchange small paper bag for big paper bag (even though you only bought toothpaste!)
-Safeguard all vitamins, remedies and other small household products in extra bag
-Asked to bag six items in 3 separate bags for untold reasons.
-Fetch a plastic bag of ice from Seafood to wrap a carton on yogurt to maintain coldness
-Take everything out and reorganize according to customized needs (What do you mean I did it wrong?)
-Explain two times why the cut fruit cost $8.00 (It's called "value added.")
-Load, carry and reload to car
-Identify where I put certain items after bagging 10 bags (How in hell should I know where I put the arugula? And what the hell are rutabagas anyway?)
-Wait with lady by the door for rain to stop in loud, obnoxious flourescent vest and massive umbrella
-Escort lady to Handicap parking lot 2-feet away from door due to drizzle
-Fetch cases of water and soda like a well-trained domestic animal
-Flip through bills to find "crisp ones" and "not those dirty old money you always hand me!"
-Give 5 cent rebate for bag when customer bought a 79 cent yogurt
-Etc, etc.