Me: "I don't need a plastic bag, I have my own."
Checkout woman: "Oh?! I guess that's 'ecologically clean.'"
Me: "Yup."
Her: ". . . and you're not going to harm the environment."
Me: "Yup."
Her: "Well . . . oooookaaaaaay."
Checkout woman: "Oh?! I guess that's 'ecologically clean.'"
Me: "Yup."
Her: ". . . and you're not going to harm the environment."
Me: "Yup."
Her: "Well . . . oooookaaaaaay."
2 comments:
Question: Did Russians ever have to pay for their plastic grocery sacks? Cubans do, and they jealously guard their plastic bags, cleaing and re-using them until they fall apart. Perhaps Russians have a similar history?
It used to be the same way. In Soviet times, everyone carried a sort of mesh bag or something similar that could be used any time you happened upon something worth buying, even when you weren't shopping. (Economy of shortages!) Then it became the norm for people to carry heavy duty plastic ones with images and brands on them.
Now most places have their own normal ones, but some places charge you for them. Typically the lower-end places charge, while supermarkets that are a little more upscale don't bother.
I think the big thing is that they are aware that the plastic bag is good advertising, because they often really push them on you, and seem almost offended that you would buy something from them without wanting to carry their logo.
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