Avoiding paper plastic popular with shoppers

Increasingly, the answer is, "Neither."

A growing number of South Sound shoppers head to the grocery stores these days with their own, non-disposable bags for groceries. Instead of relying on plastic or paper bags provided by the store clerks, they plunk their reusable plastic or canvas bags on the counter to sack up their groceries, over and over again.

It's a habit well-established in many European countries and even some communities in this country that are saying "no" to the consumption of natural resources and energy it requires to make disposable bags, and the garbage they generate.

"I have at least a dozen reusable grocery and canvas bags that I carry in my car at all times," said Sandra Miller of Olympia. "I try to remember to take them to any store - not just the grocery store. I figure it is up to me to be as environmentally responsible as I can."

Most larger grocery stores in South Sound are selling reusable grocery bags, then offering customers a discount of a few pennies each time they use the bag.

John Soltman of Lacey said he got in the habit several months ago of using the sturdy, black plastic fabric bags that Fred Meyer sells.

"We bought four and regularly use them," Soltman said. "Before long, with these rebates, they will have cost us nothing and we will have saved adding to the plastic in our throw-aways. What an idea."

1 trillion bags

Between 500 billion and 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed throughout the world each year, according to the nonprofit group The Center for a New American Dream, which lists its mission as "responsible consumerism."

The center estimates that United States consumers alone send about 8 billion pounds of plastic bags, wraps and sacks into the garbage annually.

"This holiday season, The Center for a New American Dream is urging all Americans to be a part of a new BYOB ethic - Bring Your Own Bag," center officials said in a recent e-mail with tips on reducing waste during the holidays.

Switched from glass-site

Isle Vista 10 years ago, the experience of cooperatives

interview with Janice Foltz; South Lai

Foreword more than 30 years ago, some Americans began to awaken, no pesticides, preservatives natural vegetarian pollution is a major health conditions. Since then the supermarkets did not provide this type of food, in order to meet this demand, health food stores and cooperatives beginning to emerge, the awakening of these people driven natural farming and natural food market, and later, even supermarkets offer some natural vegetarian. Most places in the United States today can be found no contaminated food market, Europe, Australia and New Zealand also have such stores.

At present, the Asia zone by the people of the plight of pesticides, processed foods flooding the market, but also started looking for a pollution-free natural foods, but there are still many places to buy the food. Under these circumstances, as long as there are more than 20 family organizations can be formed with the purchase of Mission, and further development into cooperatives.

Therefore, we have an exclusive interview with the University of California Santa Barbara school district cooperatives - Isle Vista Food CO-OP former manager Janice Foltz, she cooperatives operating in the three years of growth, but Hollywood stars and the rich have never asked her guidance on how to eat natural and vegetarian cooking (see May 1997 period glass-health World magazine).

Isle Vista food cooperatives is to provide natural organic vegetarian mainly fringe provide some environmentally sound day-to-day supplies, such as toilet paper do not bleach, detergent and pollution of the students favorite snack category nutritional snacks. Organically grown fruits and vegetables from nearby organic farms or in the backyard of their members, from 1974 to now, has been the basis for 23 years, the price the economy, 10% discount to members.

At the beginning, the members have a monthly rotation, the monthly payment of 20 yuan fund, and now reduced to five yuan per month until paid 100 yuan so far, because there are 3,500 members, may employ staff. Food prices are generally cost plus 20%, shop is open from 9:00 to 22:00, seven days a week, the staff are mostly students.

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