I'm sorry, did I ruin your day?

A while ago, I saw this series of photos on David Kuo's blog.

I didn't need the photo to slap me - every day, the pile of plastic bags in our garage larger than my oldest child convicts me about our plastic bag usage. We do recycle them - that is, we return them to the store and shove them in the green bin outside the door, who knows what happens after that - but still, we consume a lot of plastic. Consume, and then discard. We are responsible for the art on David's blog.

So twice now, I have asked for paper bags for my dry groceries at Publix. Twice, I have had the same bagger. Twice, she has grumbled and muttered things under her breath. Twice, it has taken 50% longer to check out, because she has to play Tetris to get the dry goods into the bags.

Then, twice, she has held up the whole process further because she has a theory about the order in which the bags must go into the cart.

This girl used to talk to me. She had a lot to say. She'd ask about the kids, tell me about her niece. She was a generally friendly bagger. Now, it seems, we are mortal enemies. Me and my paper bags. Sheesh.

Today, she went so far as to just thrust the bags at me while I loaded them into the back of the car myself. Protect the environment on your own time, lady.

I love Publix, I think they do so many things so very well. But now, I think they should post this photo all over their stores, and offer people a rebate or discount or something for using their own canvas bags, or bringing back the plastic bags, or choosing paper, or smiling at this grouchy bagger...