Saturday, October 20, 2012

Would You Like a Bag? Days of Rain and Plastic

This desert rat has mad a mistake, again.

I'm actually surprised that it happened yesterday, rather than sooner.  I guess my luck is just that good.

I went to the library.

No, that's not my mistake.  My mistake had to do with planning.  Seriously, though... Who plans their trip to the library?!

Evidently, if you're on a quest to become more green and environmentally responsible, you care about the condition of your books, and you live in Minnesota, you do.

Oops.  I did not know this...

I checked out books for my daughter and I.  A lot of books, as is pretty standard for us.  I loaded up my arms with them and went off to the checkout counter.

"Would you like a bag?"

This question makes perfect sense.  I check out so many books that some people actually would need a bag to help carry them all.

Naturally, then, I'm asked this question every time I go.  Of course, my answer is always the same.  No, I do not want a petroleum based plastic product hanging from my hands. No, I do not want a bag that will simply get thrown away and become part of a gigantic pile of crud in the middle of a dump.  No.  No thank you.

But then I looked out the window.

rain outside window

There was wet stuff falling from the sky.  Oh, dear...

See, it was raining when I got there, too, but it was a very light sprinkle.

And I'm from the desert.  

Where I come from, if it's raining when you leave the house, it's not raining at the time that you return.  Indeed, it's not raining by the time you get to your destination!  Rain happens fast.

But Minnesota is different.  After spending over an hour at the library, the rain was still falling.  I had no choice.  If I wanted to go home any time soon, and if I didn't want the books to end up water damaged, I was forced to do something I never have, before...

"Would you like a bag?"

"Yes, please."

selco plastic bag

Ugh.  It pained me to have to take home a plastic bag, but it kept the books protected.

It's pretty thick plastic.  I figure I can keep it in my glove box for the next time I need a bag.  That'll help negate a little bit of the damage I caused the environment by using it, right?

2 comments:

  1. Bad luck sis! I would've expected you have have reusable shopping bag that morphs into a bracelet or something :-)

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  2. You know... I think you just gave me an awesome idea!!! Now, to figure out how to implement this... ::cue evil genius laughter::

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