Bring back paper bags, I say. Brown ones, white ones, brightly coloured ones, with handles, without handles, with twisted handles like rope, with flat paper handles, big ones, small ones, plain ones, fancy ones.
What’s wrong with paper bags? They can be strong – Americans routinely use them for their supermarket groceries. They can be reused. They can be recycled. Trees to source the paper can be sustainable. There may well be many other benefits, both commercial and environmental, that I’m unaware of.
They could be used in supermarkets instead of those silly, flimsy little plastic bags for collecting loose vegetables, and would have the advantage of not causing the toxic damage that comes with plastic packaging. And could also transport the bulk of the groceries back to the car (admittedly not so useful for pedestrian shoppers).
Plus, we wouldn’t have this new constant problem of forgetting to take our hideous, expensive fold-up nylon shopping bags with us everywhere. Men find that particularly irksome because they don’t (usually) have handbags.
Bring back paper bags!
Comments anyone? Suggestions?
