I've been trying to reduce my bag consumption not only with the large shopping bags, but also with all the little produce bags you get. I've been saving them and bringing them back to the store to reuse. Another thing I've started is bringing my own tupperware to the deli. One woman first weighed my meat and cheese in a plastic bag, which she then threw away to use the container I had brought. That was really annoying! But for the most part people have been very receptive to that and some have even started bringing their own containers as well.

It is difficult to remember to bring all the things you need. I have a pretty regular shopping schedule, but still when I'm trying to get out the door with the two kids and everything they need it's hard to even carry all the extra bags even when I do remember. But I guess like Melinda says, the more you do it, the more it will become a habit. I've also seen some tiny bags at reusablebags.com that supposedly fold into a keychain, then unfold into a large grocery-sized bag. That would be nice to have.

I was at the Boulder Creek Art & Music Festival yesterday and outside of the Green Leaf there was an A-frame as you come in from the parking lot that read "Did you remember your bags?" I thought that was awesome! Perhaps a grassroots campaign with signs near the entrances of markets would help...

I don't forget my bags now that I have a baby and have to get her out of the back seat (where I keep my bags). Before her birth I forgot them about half of the time.

I noticed Whole Foods hasthat sign inside each shopping cart. Let's see what our very own new (woo hoo!) New Lead does on their own and if they don't do something we can suggest it. If their store in Boulder Creek has it it's likely they'll do it here too.
JJ

Reusable Shopping Bags! I actually work at a grocery store, and I really dislike giving people plastic bags. I have my own reusable bags, and I think it is much better, plus the quality of our plastic bags are so bad, that it takes 2 bags to hold 2 2-liter soda bottles, 2 bags for milk jugs and just way too much. I really think reusable bags or nothing would work great at a grocery store, and really get people into thinking about the world, when they have nothing to hold their items in.

Re: BLOG COMMENTS RE: Reusable Shopping Bags? Up to the Challenge?

I think it would be ideal if New Leaf and all stores did not offer shopping bags too, but sadly they would lose some customers for that. Maybe they could do this though, if they had a bin at the front of the store where people or baggers could grab used grocery bags. I guess this would require a constant program to obtain old bags from people, but that would be great too!

When I lived in Italy, not only were you expected to bring your own bags, you bagged your own groceries and returned your shopping carts to a particular spot to get back your deposit (about the equivalent of 10 cents, but it was the point - that sized lire coin was useful!). I still get funny reactions when I start bagging my own groceries here. The grocery stores had bags "just in case you forgot", but you always paid for them.