Reusable Bag Paranoia: Is it all in your head?

Posted by Greenbee on February 26, 2010

Reusable Bags are popping up everywhere as people are making efforts to help the environment. Yesterday we would hear the echo of “paper or plastic?” but today we know better and carry our bags with us. Reusable Bags are even being upgraded some with insulating liners to keep foods cold or hot. Others have separate compartments keeping veggies away from your meat products.

Stores are selling reusable bags for as low as .99 cents but that means you are buying that bag with that stores name on the side. You have become a form of advertising billboard for the store. Companies are not dumb they know that putting their store name or image anywhere is free advertising and you, the earth friendly bunch multiplying in droves, are their current market. With all these different bags from different places putting their names on the bags, I have always found it hard to decide which bag/store do I want to use and thus indirectly endorse.

Do I want to be a walking Walmart ad? What will this tell people who see me walking with items and using a bag with Walmart on it. I probably should not obsess over this but I do, and I am sure if I do others do. With Walmarts negative image do I want to be seen as a person helping “the man” when I am just trying to be green? I merely want to buy some milk and bread, will riots ensue if I am seen with such bag in hand?! What if I use a Target bag while shopping at a Kmart store? Will their employees want to spit on my items as I am purchasing them. How can I avoid the madness of all this… Must I buy shopping bags from every store just to appease them masses and keep myself safe from harm? I am sure that 99% of this paranoia is coming from within, but it is there and just swirls around.

I needed to find a solution that is easy and won’t cost me hundreds of dollars on a therapist who will tell me it is just in my mind and try to make me face and conquer this paranoia. Don’t have the time or dime for that solution. If your thinking “hey it is for the environment! suck it up and just use a bag and forget what others think!” I will assume you are my sister and just not call you as often for advise or an ear!

A few fixes I thought of and were suggested to me that I thought I’d share to help other paranoid bag uses like myself:

• Make your own reusable bags: If your able to sew two pieces of material together and construct some form of a handle walla! You got yourself a bag to use. I failed home economics so this is just crazy talk.
• Put tape or cover on the bag name or brand. Too much work they messed it up why should I fix their bag for them. But for those of you who are handy in that sense by all means slap some cover on the name/brand and you are on your way!
• Use a non-store related bag? They are out there? While shopping at one of those buy brand names for a fraction of the price retailers, I found a bunch of reusable shopping bags for $3.99 no labels! no logo! nada! I snatched up a bunch of these. Granted they do not have the cool insulation that some stores have this worked for simple shopping and I was able to shop with mental peace and that is well worth $3.99 per bag

Paranoid or not there are solutions. If one does not work try another if that does not work post a suggestion of something you think might work or did help you or someone you know cause I can always use the advise too. Therapist can cost a fortune thank god for free useful comments as they are priceless!