Dear Bagger

As a person who cares about the environment, I'd like to make an open letter to every supermarket bagger out there.

But before I get to that, I would like to point out that in recent years, when you are getting groceries, they've just started assuming you want plastic.  Paper is still available and it is better for the environment (at least, if you live in an area with methane collectors on its landfills, which is in an increasing number of areas).  Paper bags also don't break as easily, can be reused, and hold more groceries. Many have handles now.  They're more sanitary than reusable cloth bags, too.  (I'm not saying don't use cloth bags - I do - just know the danger.  I personally like using collapsible crates.)


Now onto the letter.

Dear bagger,

Why did you put my grapes, which are in a plastic bag with a handle, alone in another plastic bag with a handle?  Seriously, I could have carried the bag of grapes.  Are you afraid someone is going to see me leaving the store with grapes and get terrible ideas of what I am going to do with those things?

When I told you not to use the bag you just put a single box of cake mix into because I wanted to carry it, why did you take the box out and then crumple up and throw away the bag?  Has it been sullied?

Do I want my single gallon of milk in a bag?  No.  I never want it in a bag.  It has a handle and it's pretty obvious I'll be wheeling the entire cart of groceries to the car, so it's not like my hand will get cold in the 10 seconds I'll be touching the thing.

In what world will a 3 lb. bag of apples be so heavy that you must double bag it? Those things can carry 17 pounds before they start to break.  So please, a bag of flour?  One bag is enough.

In short, plastic bags, which often can't be recycled, should be used a bit more sparingly.

Please.