If you’re like me, then you’re trying to figure out how to get more plastic out of your life. Obviously, one of the biggest sources of plastic continues to be plastic bags. We could wait until everyone decides to do their part, and bring reusable bags to the supermarket, but that will take a long, long time. Standing in a supermarket checkout line, it appears that only about 1% of shoppers even bother to bring their own bags. Something’s got to give.
At this point, it’s safe to assume that it’s got to start at the top. Grocery stores should be eliminating plastic bags, for the health of the planet, and for the health of their customers. It’s not longer an issue of being able to afford reusable bags. When it comes to putting our planet at environmental risk, we must do what’s right. I’ve owned the same reusable bags for years. They are cheap, strong, reliable, and easy to tote around.
There is a Change.org petition being circulated, which is asking the owner of Whole Foods, Jeff Bezos, to come up with an action plan to ban plastic bags from his markets within five years.
An estimated 12.7 million tonnes of plastic end up in oceans each year, according to Greenpeace.
The petition points to Iceland Supermarket for leading the environmental charge. The company has enacted a policy that will see plastic bags banned from its stores within five years. Now, it’s time for others to follow suit, including Whole Foods and Albertsons (owned by Bob Miller). The time is now for major companies to make sweeping policy changes when it comes to their adverse impact on the environment. Now, if some of the supermarket giants can get their act together when it comes to plastic bag consumption, one would think that Wegmans would also consider going green in a similar manner. It’s due time.