Tag Archives: Shopping

Using Reusable Bags: It’s Not That Easy

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English: ENVITOTE’s superior design is a styli...

One of the most often heard claims by those who advocate imposing bag bans on everyone else, is that using reusable bags is not very hard to do.  Here are a few of their typical statements:

  • “I’ve happily been using reusable bags for years, so others should too.”
  • “What’s the big deal about remembering to bring your bag?”
  • “Some people will resist it at first, but eventually they will change and get used to it.”
  • “Sometimes it is hard to change habits, but people will change.  They just need encouragement.”
  • “Look!  I carry a few compacted reusable bags right on my purse strap!”
  • “It is easy! It isn’t so hard!”

These statements are often delivered in an exasperated or condescending tone, implying that people are making a big deal out of nothing.  The real basis for their argument is this: They do it, so others should not complain when they are forced to do it as well.

Setting aside the argument about whether or not it is right to force others to adopt an assumed green lifestyle, we wanted to examine why using reusable bags is challenging and why compliance with using reusable bags is so low, even in communities that have already implemented bag bans.  

Statistics

Surveys at grocery stores before and after bag bans show that most people are choosing not to use reusable bags.  In San Jose, the number of customers leaving grocery stores with no bag went up from 12.9% to 43.5% and the number of customers using paper bags went up from 10.3% to 18.8% after the bag ban. (Romanov, 2012)  Similarly, in Santa Monica customers with no bag went up from 15% to 36% and paper bags went up from 5% to 29%. (Team Marine, 2013)  The statistics for non-grocery stores are even worse, with an abysmal 8% of shoppers using reusable bags almost 2 years after the bag ban. (van Leeuwen & Williams, 2013, p. 12)

Using reusable bags must not be that easy, since the vast majority of shoppers avoid using these bags and choose to use either paper bags or no bags at all over reusable bags by a ratio of about two to one. (van Leeuwen & Williams, 2013)

To read the rest of the article, click on the following link: Using Reusable Bags Not That Easy

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New Article Posted: “Reusable Bags and Ergonomic Issues”

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A new article has been posted titled “Reusable Bags and Ergonomic Issues” by Anthony van Leeuwen.

The article provides some useful information about reusable bag sizes, volume, and average weight when filled. Consumers should educate themselves about bag sizes and weights when filled, to avoid wasting money by buying bags that are too large and heavy when filled by store employees.

With more and more communities in California and the nation adopting plastic carryout bag bans ergonomic safety issues related to using reusable bags have been largely ignored.  The chief selling point often touted by proponents is that “Reusable bags hold more than plastic bags”.  What is often overlooked is that “If reusable bags hold more, they weigh more.”  This means that handling of heavier reusable bags by both store employees and customers alike, present ergonomic safety hazards that should be taken into consideration.

The Downside of Reusable Shopping Bags

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Many people have been misled to think that using a reusable shopping bag is an environmentally friendly solution to using plastic bags.  Proponents of plastic bag bans, like the proverbial used car salesman, point out the advantages of the reusable bag and never talk about the disadvantages.  For example, they will never tell you about the health hazards associated with the reusable bag.

First, reusable bags can become contaminated by meat juices, moisture, and traces of nutrients from food items and become a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, yeast, mold, and coliforms including E. Coli.  Bacteria are known to increase by 10-fold if bags are stored in the trunk for as little as two hours.  Bacteria can be transferred to packaged food items during the transport home, and ultimately to your hands and to your mouth when packages are opened and food items are ingested. Continue reading The Downside of Reusable Shopping Bags →