2003-07-16 - 2:55 p.m.

Paper or Plastic?

When they first starting asking what kind of bags we wanted for our groceries, I was still buying for the family, and I usually said �both,� since I wanted the strength of the paper sack with the convenience of the plastic handles. Now it seems everyone is using plastic, and I thought that perhaps it was because I don�t shop at the same time as the housewives any more.

Recently a packer asked me if plastic was okay, and I said, �I thought you guys had given up asking.� She told me they�re supposed to use plastic unless the customer specifically requests paper. It�s what I suspected; the plastic ones are cheaper to produce, even if they�re less environment-friendly.

What I do hear from time to time is, �can I have one paper bag so I can throw out my newspapers?� Yes, the recyclers now allow us to use paper sacks instead of tying up the old newspapers. Husband is delighted, because he never could tie them up and I had to do them. But when he�s at the store, he doesn�t ask; he just swipes a handful of paper bags.

It�s no use trying to tell he shouldn�t do that. His line of thinking goes something like this: (1) I need them; (2) they have plenty, so they won�t miss �em; (3) if I ask, they might say no.

But I understand Husband very well. I know that he used to keep the double bags for trash, and I know he always saved more than he needed. Before he broke his hip, the garbage was always his job � one of those things I was thankful for and just ignored his methods. So I went into the basement to look for paper bags.

There were bags full of bags � of course � still assembled with paper inside of plastic. The plastic bags were useless. Some were sticky and some were brittle. It was kind of fun to look at the ads and promotions printed on them: �offer expires July 31, 1995.� But the paper was still good.

I spent several days in the basement, throwing out plastic bags and folding the paper ones. After a while, I started stacking them in groups of ten. If he uses one each week, I figure he's got enough to last till the end of 2005. I think I finally got through to him that he doesn�t have to filch any more from the market. And I promised him, if we run out of them before I die, I�ll get him some more.

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