I first encountered canvas grocery bags over 20 years ago. Carr’s grocery stores in Anchorage, Alaska offered them for sale. Carr’s (bought out by Safeway in 1999) was well ahead of its time. Continuing its historical pattern of being ahead of its time. I suppose that would include me. If I remember correctly the cost of a single bag at the time was about $12.00. I considered this a big expense. So, I bought them one at a time over several months. It was not long before my Mother, in St. Louis, Missouri found a beautiful canvas bag at Shaw’s Garden aka Missouri Botanical Garden.
Mom gave me the bag next time I visited. She knew how strongly I felt about the environment. I had told her how great these bags were. They were larger than plastic bags, stronger, than plastic and paper, and easier to carry than either. So, it just made sense for her to give me this canvas shopping bag as a gift.
Over the years I have collected more canvas, and more recently, bags made from recycled plastic than I ever imagined.
Along the way, through the years, and a few moves I continue to use and reuse these bags. Even through my divorce I kept these bags.
I have lost track of many bags. some I gave to friends, and some I gave to relatives. Somehow I still have managed to have more ubags than I, and maybe two or three of me can use on a single shopping trip.
My kids hated when I forgot my bags. Mostly that was because I would send one of them back out to the van to get them for me. This really stunk in January. You see in January in Anchorage the temperature could easily be 20° below zero. My husband wasn’t too fond of this either. The problem was and still is, that my forgetfullness was quite commonplace.
I use my bags in the grocery store, Macy’s, Target, on airplanes, and to the beach. Reusable grocery bags are good for so many more things than for just our groceries.
ps. I think I still have one of my once many old Carr’s bags.
Just thought you might want to hear that some of us really are dedicated to creating a better world.©
Mishl53's Blog 