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I Just Started Using Them For Reals

I've had canvas bags hanging around for longer than I've lived in San Francisco - almost a year. I even kept a couple in my Corolla before I got rid of it, but every time I'd go to Trader Joe's I'd get up to the check stand and feel like slapping myself in the face - of course I'd left my totes back in the trunk of my car for yet another shopping trip.

When I started walking to the grocery store, I put the bags in a really visible place in my kitchen. I'd forget at first, but eventually was able to make it into a habit since I couldn't avoid looking at the bags every time I went for ice cream or a pickle or whatever.

Anybody have good mnemonics for those who still can't seem to remember the damn things? Maybe put a dollar in a jar each time you forget? Wear a rubber band around your wrist on days you're going shopping?

-Toshio...off to put a dollar in the swear jar...
Posted by: tmeronek on 06/21/2007
related tip
How 'bout neither. We use shopping bags for a few hours, but they can take lifetimes to decompose. New foldable nylon versions make it easy to BYOB wherever you go-whether it's clothes shopping, grocery shopping, or a drugstore impulse buy.
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Ziggee  on June 27, 2007 at 09:55 PM 51
I don't care what people think of me using a cloth bag when I go grocery shopping or shopping period. If they ask me why I use them I tell them that when you use plastic you can kill a bird or fish, if you use a paperbag you are killing a tree and I refuse to do so. Zig
The solution: stash a portable bag in your purse!  on July 03, 2007 at 07:58 PM 52
To avoid forgetting to bring your eco bag to the store, how about not having to remember it in the first place! I live in Montreal Canada where a company called ENVIROSAX makes these ultra trendy portable bags that you just roll-up, snap and put in your purse. I received "Retro graphic bag #2" as a birthday gift and love it. They cost around $7.00 Canadian. Here is the direct link to their Web page: http://www.usa.envirosax.com/pages/products.php?icat=1
Ziggee  on July 04, 2007 at 06:20 AM 53
I clicked on the link and love the bags. I try to remember to take my bags with me by telling myself I am saving an animal or tree by taking my own bags. zig
Christine  on July 09, 2007 at 06:36 PM 54
I made myself go back to my car to get the canvas bags out of my trunk. The awkwardness of telling the woman checking me out and then getting looks from everyone who was annoyed at me as the groceries piled up was incentive enough to remember them next time!
Ziggee  on July 09, 2007 at 09:28 PM 55
I LOVE the looks from other people so I can tell them. "A plastic bag can kill a bird or fish and a paperbag can kill a tree." That is my way of educating people. Zig
Shana  on July 13, 2007 at 10:36 AM 56
I am so excited that BYOB is catching on. But don’t buy your reusable bags from Ecobags! I ordered from them and they shipped the wrong items, then told me to return the bags and they would credit my visa for the bags and they would pay for return shipping because it was their mistake. When I returned the incorrect items they said that I was lying about the mistake and they haven’t given me my money back for the bags or the shipping. I was more upset about being accused of being a liar than losing the money. They are a very bad company to deal with. BEWARE! I have since purchased exactly what I wanted from my locate Wegmans supermarket for $.99. That’s $2.61 less per bag than from Ecobags, so check your local supermarket they are starting to catch on.
Ziggee  on July 13, 2007 at 12:28 PM 57
Good job on taking your own bags with you when you go shopping. And thanks for the heads up on the EcoBags. I think it is silly buying expensive bags for putting groceries in. I have been given some of my bags from people who held garage sales who were impressed that I brought my own bags and not asked for one of theirs. I was once given a bag that I thought was canvas but was made from recycled plastic bottles. I love the bag. Zig
Aliana  on July 16, 2007 at 09:43 AM 58
Hi Shana, I'm sorry to hear that you were unsatisfied with your Eco-Bags purchase. We strive to provide all of our customers with high quality bags and attentive customer service, but it seems we may have fallen short on your account. We are glad to hear that you've been able to join on the BYOBag movement and hope that we can do business with you in the future. Sincerely, Aliana from Eco-Bags aliana@ecobags.com
Diane Gross  on July 16, 2007 at 09:57 AM 59
Re: A comment by Posted by: Ziggee | July 09, 2007 at 09:28 PM As a customer service representative of Eco-Bags Products, Inc. I was saddened to hear that Ziggee had such a bad experience with Eco-Bags. It has never been our policy to ask a customer to return items that were not ordered by the customer. Our standard policy for wrong shipped items has always been to ask the customer to keep the wrong items and reship the right items at no charge. We're a small woman-owned company and we work hard to make the experience of shopping at Eco-Bags Products, Inc a pleasant one. We want it to go out to all who read this blog that we sincerely apologize to Ziggee and hope that she can make herself know to allow us to make amends for the bad experience. Warm Regards, Diane Gross 800-720-2247 x103
Ziggee  on July 16, 2007 at 10:02 AM 60
I have never bought bags from Eco-bags, I was just responding to the post. Zig
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