I don’t know if it’s enough to save the planet, but I’m thinking this bring your own bag thing is a good idea. Not only does it eliminate those annoying, earth-enemy plastic bags, but most of the reusable bags make for a far more efficient and careful way to transport groceries. Bananas and apples don’t get as bruised. There’s another side-effect I find happening. I feel more conscious and connected when I use them. My food choices are more sensible. It seems inconsistent to put Doritos and Oreos in a reusable bag. Maybe it’s the snowball effect I found with the new recycling containers, maybe it’s just me.
A note from shopping in France: Where I was staying, the most convenient place to shop was a big supermarket called Carrefour. The deal there is that you either bring your own bag, shove everything you’ve bought into a backpack, or buy a (nice reusable) bag. A while back — mid-90s — Ian Frazier did a couple great pieces on hunting down plastic bags that had blown into trees. I’ve never looked at them the same way since.