If I were dictator of the world, I would outlaw the question, “Paper or plastic?” that supermarket clerks keep asking.
They always seem a bit taken aback when I tell them that I make enough decisions on a daily basis and refuse to make one about which bag to use.
Then again, nowadays, I mostly remember my reusable bags. That shuts ’em up.
You may not have the choice for long. Banning plastic bags to “save the environment” is starting to catch on. I guess cutting down trees to make paper bags is “greener”.
I stopped at the supermarket the other day and they asked me if I wanted my milk in a bag. Seriously. I told her to leave it in the jug! After all, you have to pay for it, and I doubt that flimsy plastic bag would hold a gallon of milk, and anyway, how would you put it in the fridge?
People are always asking me stupid questions. They asked me today at the pizza place if I had a pick-up! I said “No, just a car… why?”
Robert
My usual response to that question is, “Surprise me.” Of course, I am tempted to respond to, “Have a nice day” with “Thanks but I have other plans.”
Of course, at the restaurant when they ask if I have reservations, I want to respond, “I do, but I’m going to eat here anyway.”
Zee: Trees grow back. The paper companies re-plant them by the millions. Paper is bio-degradable, easily recyclable and doesn’t injure animals that eat it. Paper bags also hold more without falling apart, so you don’t need to use as many.
Plastic bags were adopted for one reason: they are cheap. And with the price of oil these days, even that probably isn’t true anymore.
As for the question at the check-out line, I can’t remember the last time anybody here even asked.
David C.: I think the reality is a lot more mixed than that — there are good and bad environmental aspects to both plastic bags and paper bags; see http://www.greenfeet.net/newsletter/debate.shtml
for one fairly balanced assessment.
personally, we’re about to lose plastic bags at our supermarket and I’ll miss them — I’ll have to start buying plastic bags to line the kitchen and bathroom wastebaskets, so I’m not getting much savings in plastic consumption…
If they ask me I say “both”.
I’ll have them use plastic bags, then drop them in paper bags.
I use the plastic ones in the bathroom, and the paper ones for separating the brass cases when I go shooting, it makes reloading later on much easier.
I tell the cashier or bagger to put the paper bag inside of the plastic bag. That combination is stronger than plastic inside paper or plastic alone.
chsw