"No thankyou, I'm doing my bit for the planet!"

[Grey]

I started a new job as a Christmas temp in some retail work today. Aside from dealing with idiots asking for help finding a specific film they can't remember the name of, or the story to. Or even the incredibly attractive girl asking for music recommendations being shadowed by an over protective mother that stepped in at the most inappropriate of times. I found myself dealing with something I now like to call, "Green Snobbery". Granted, its not the most inventive of names but I'm knackered and...sod it I'll be honest, I just can't be bothered to think up a good name for it now.
I was instructed not to ask, "Would you like a bag with that?" but, "Do you need a bag with that?" Because we're supposed to promote being green and the less people who ask for bags, the less we have to order, even though the stock room is chock full of boxes with bags in them and there's a new order on the way.
Now I'm all for the being green effort and have no problems with people who are genuinely putting in an effort, put plastic bags doesn't cut it, it doesn't even scrape the surface. "No thanks, I'm doing my bit for the planet!" followed by a smug smile and a brisk walk out of the shop, head held high, started to get on my nerves after a while. Guess what prat? You've done bugger all for the planet. Whether you refuse to take a bag or not, we've still got hundreds of them all over the stock room and behind the till and head office will still send hundreds more each week, because they're barmy like that.
As I said, I'm all for the green effort. I don't find myself irritated by everybody who did this. The sweet old lady with the tote bag stacked full of goodies, the guy who just carried his larger purchase out in his hands, and the mother who used her child's pram as a shopping cart all came across as genuinely trying to be resourceful. Actually I think I liked the last one just because she made her brat get out and use his legs for once.
But as for the girls who had nearly empty backpacks as fashion accessories, carrying up to six shopping bags from other stores, hair laden with hair spray, irritated me to no end. Don't preach to me about being green and reducing your carbon footprint because you think it makes you look 'hip', especially with all that crap in your hair and argument contradicting items dangling from your arms.

Discuss instances of people latching on to causes for the image status, preaching when in dire need of taking their own advice, or just how shitty I am at dealing with people because they didn't want to see my fantastic bagging talents.

Super bonus added fun time poll! Do you support the green movement?

 

[Boringman54]

I kinda do. If we don't do anything, Earth is screwed.

 

[FrozenBacon]

I do care, but half of the shit we are told to do on the individual level doesn't make much of a difference. Just stuff the general population is told to make it feel like they are doing something and to get them aware of the problem.

 

[MattAY]

I recycle when chucking rubbish away. That's pretty much it - if I could afford a demonic petrol-whore of a sportscar, I would without a care for the green movement.

 

[Grey]

Like the plastic bag thing. Seriously, we've got a stacks of them all over the place and more are coming next week. I just gave up in the end and started bagging everything. If you bag it for them, they don't seem to give a shit. Only when you pose the question, "Do you need a bag?" will they pause and sometimes go, "No, I suppose I don't" and appear to feel guilty if they do say yes. Fuck it, the bags have already been made, just take them. Cutting down on how many plastic bags you take won't stop Head Office from getting more and sending them our way to clog up the stock room with.

And seriously fuck the over protective mother I mentioned. Cutest girl I've seen in YEARS who I got on really well with, every time I was nearing closing a date or getting her number, mummy steps in for her and cock blocks me.

 

[tigerlily521985]

I know that people say that on the individual level it doesn't make much of a dent, but if tons of people make the same effort it could pay off. I like to think that my efforts are helping at least a little bit. I definitely don't think I'm snobbish about it at all though. I don't really like imposing my morals on others.

In regards to the plastic bag thing, I know a lot of places are banning (not sure if that's the best word for it) the use of plastic bags in grocery stores. Some stores in my area will not be providing plastic bags any more. The only reason they are currently using them is because it's what they have leftover, since like you said they have tons in the back just waiting to be used. As soon as those bags run out though, no more plastic as an option.

 

[Gabbana]

in my opinion, what all ur actions come down to is you doing your own part

yeah theres are millions of bags already manufactured and in your store room, but if u don't take one, then theres 1 less bag thats gonna end up in the trash

and if 10000x think the same way, then theres 10000x less bags in the garbage can...
theres no way you can control everyone but if u just try and do your part and think about how there are other people trying to do their part too, i think thats the best u can hope for

for me i try to be as green friendly as possible... when i try to get my friends to do it they're always like "if i dont take the plastic bag, someone else will" yeah so what? what kind of stupid justification is that? if someone jumped off a bridge would u?

everyone just needs to focus on what they can do and just do it, regardless of what everyone else is doing u know? theres 1 planet... and we're running low of every available resource as well as the deteroriation(sp?) of the planet at an alarming rate...

if we are to survive everyones gotta do their part... it may be a small part but if enough people do it then thats what makes the difference!

 

[Grey]

yeah theres are millions of bags already manufactured and in your store room, but if u don't take one, then theres 1 less bag thats gonna end up in the trash!

Guess what happens to the ones we don't use. They sit around until we have too many, then a bunch get shipped back to head office, who just send them right on back to us. D:

I'm mad at the gits who turn up with six plastic bags, HUGE ones, that have really tiny boxes in them then refute another bag when the environment topic is hinted at, even though they could have just used one bag to start with and looked like less of a prick in the store whilst trying to act like they're doing the right thing. If you want to look like you do the right thing, don't just go for the look when the opportunity is given, just out right do the right thing.

 

[masterchris]

Every morning I wake up and urinate on the floor. Then I head out to the store and get as many plastic bags as I can, and I inject them directly into the landfill. I also take a bunch and throw them out of my car window as I drive home.

 

[n00b_f00]

More often than not when asked if I need a bag I say no. But that's usually with a single purchase like a book or a DVD, and that might be because I usually grab the game as soon as they ring it up. Never figured they were trying to guilt trip me, just don't want to waste my time. I've never been asked with groceries or a large retail purchase. Just small stuff.

 

[Rekkie7]

Do you guys have green bags in your countries?

They cost about $1, and you can just keep reusing them. The supermarkets sell them and promote using them instead of plastic bags. I think it's been pretty successful here.

The only problem is like in our case, the supermarket is on the way home. So I often get off the train after work (without the green bags) and go straight to the shops and carry everything home from there. So I either endup with a lot of plastic bags anyway or a pile of green bags.

Actually I think I've got too many green bags now. I think I might have to go dump them all in river.

 

[Gabbana]

Grey: oh that's terrible how they jsut send the bags back and forth. Well atleast bags don't go bad and maybe u could just keep em for a while

but i understand what u mean

 

[Lentium]

I am pro-green; but, anti-future.

 

[keepithowitis]

^ My parents have a green bag they always use.

 

[used44]

I have these ludicrously large hands so I always carry things out of the shop without bags. I rarely ever even need a cart. Ludicrously large.

 

[Chris_Crime]

Yes, we get it, your penis is ridiculously huge.

I'm pretty down with the go green movement. But what sucks is when you meet someone who's a Rank 9 when you're at a Rank 5 and then they hassle you asking you why you're not a Rank 9 and you're like, "Rank 5, you know that's not bad," and they're like,"Yeah, but you could be doing more."

Why, why we gotta hate on the Rank 5, why not the Rank Zeros, they're not doing nothing.. why we got -- never mind, this was stupid.

 

[LawnGnome]

I believe in environmentalism, but personally do nothing about it. That way I get to piss off both sides on the issue.

 

[Grey]

Do you guys have green bags in your countries?

Yep, but usually carrying a store brand on them. I like the Waterstones one.

 

[used44]

Yes, we get it, your penis is ridiculously huge.

No, no. Ludicrously large.

 

[voice-]

I usually carry a backpack when shopping, but that's more of a convenience than an environmental thing.
This whole "global warming" affair strikes me as an exploited situation. Some people have a need to be morally better than others, to judge others. These used to have to turn to religion (which has the same punchline, live as we say or face armageddon), now they can find all other sorts of excuses to rip on their peers.

I agree with Grey, it's when it comes down to hypocracy it gets annoying. There's nothing wrong with saying no thanks to a plastic bag if you already have way to carry your stuff home, but taking on some holier-than-though I'm-saving-the-earth attitude before walking out to the car with the running engine is just moronic.