Trumped again by Woolworths

It's ironic (or is it?) that when I lived in the city, I was able to lead a much more (self-righteous) plastic-free existence. At the checkout, I'd say, "don't worry about a bag, thanks". I shopped at organic food co-ops in the inner city where we took our own, pre-weighed, jars.

It's also ironic that out here in the green rolling hills with farms all around, it's very hard to get organic local seasonal food. Out here many people stull burn all their plastic. There are no laws against it and the smell is sometimes horrendous. The city gives you "freedom to be green".

What compounds the issue is that I don't drive. That was fine in the city. I bussed or cycled. I had the carbon footprint of an ant. Now, sadly, in the ostensibly clean, green country, the footprint's become a bit more like an elephant's. You see, we're 20km from the nearest supermarket. We have a little local one closer, but it's expensive and hardly anything organic's available there.

So either my partner drives down after a tiring day of work to do a fortnight's shop, or we all four traipse down there. One or other of the kids is grumpy, or needs a nap, or food, or milk, or a change... so I tried out online shopping. It was brilliant. I could pick everything I needed. Includng the specials, and it was delivered the next day by a friendly man in a truck. The downside, of course, plastic!

In the city, I never shopped with Coles or Woollies, but out here, I have very little choice. The shopping comes in about twenty to thirty plastic bags. I felt utterly revolted with myself the first time I saw them. I'd been taking those ugly green (plastic!) bags shopping for years, and before that, calico ones. I lined my bins with whatever I could find, usually newspaper. And here I was with more plastic bags than I knew what to do with. Erghghgh...

I emailed Woollies:

Dear Woolworths,

I am so far very pleased with my online shopping experience.

However, there is one major concern --- the inordinate amount of plastic bags!!

We always shop using cloth bags when we drive to town. We need to dispose of our own rubbish at the tip, and I have endeavoured to make this house as plastic-free as possible. Simply arguing that it makes a convenient bin liner is really no solution... it still ends up in landfill that doesn't break down into organic, compostible components.

Is there any way Woolworths can find a solution to this problem?

Thanks and regards

 

They replied:

Thank you for your email.

Unfortunately we deliver your shopping in plastic bags at this stage.

Thank you for your feed back it is important to us.

have a nice day.

 

And that was the end of that. Where does one go from there? Withdraw my custom?

So I need to learn how to drive so I can go shopping again and start using cloth bags again. And drive to neighbouring towns that have a better range of organic and local produce than my own. I don't see Woollies changing any time soon and for the moment, I'm beholden to them and their evil plastic bags.

Here's just the fruit and veg component of my fortnight's shop. I try to buy organic if it's available, which is expensive, but I can justify it. Only look at the packaging! It's worse for organic. So you're trying to minimise environmental damage (surely you are? It's not just about buying a luxury health product - is it?) and yet look what you're sending to landfill. Aghgghgh....

 

[Update: I first wrote this post last year. I have since been able to get off the big supermarket addiction, thanks to a wonderful friend, who drives to a nearby town. They have a fantastic green grocer's there, and an absolutely wonderful health food store. I can order my stuff online, and she picks up my boxes, for a teensy fee. I will repay her the favour when I learn to drive!

 

It all  comes loose in one cardboard box. Wahay! Off the supermarket chain store plastic treadmill!]