Sustainability Sucker

*Whole Foods' (and my) newest sustainable shopping bag.

Dear B-Reader,

As I was driving home from the office last night, pondering the ancient riddle of What's for Dinner, I decided to put the burden on Jeff. At the nearest stoplight, I quickly dialed his number, popped the question, got an answer in record time, exchanged "love you's," and hung up. Stomach churning, I diverted off of my usual route home and headed towards Whole Foods for the ingredients to our meal. Suddenly, I realized that I, once again, forgot to put the sustainable shopping bags into my car's trunk after my last shopping venture.

Begin inner turmoil:

Katherine: [shouting] "Dang it! I always forget!"

Katherine: [calmly] "No problemo, just use the bags that the sacker has at his ready, you know, the brown paper ones (B-Reader, remember, this is Whole Foods, the store that banned plastic bags)."

Katherine: "But I despise doing that. There is no reason to use a disposable bag that I am going to have to add to the recycling bin. I know it is made of recycled materials and can be recycled, but why do that? Why not use the same sturdy bag over and over again. Less waste is mo' betta. I guess I'll have to purchase a new sustainable shopping bag."

Katherine: [with disbelief] "Seriously?! Another one? Most girls your age collect designer handbags, not sustainable shopping bags. You have a real problem. I'm going to tell Jeff on you."

By the time my heated discussion was coming to a roaring boil, I had already raced through the grocery store, made my selections, transferred each item from my cart to the check-out conveyor belt. Realizing I chose the lane headed by Favorite Cashier, the guy whose wife is a major Madonna fan (say what you will, B-Reader, but that woman knows her business and knocks out classic verse like no other pop star), I knew what choice I had to make as he reached in slow-motion for the paper bag to sack the products.

"No, no, I need a new sustainable bag anyways, so please put away the paper, and use this one," said I as I watched my fingers reach for that little teaser of a tote that seductively dangles from the credit card machine.

Proudly, I put my newly-filled, newly-purchased sustainable shopping bag into the trunk of my car. Slamming the trunk closed slammed my brain into gear. I was a total sucker for sustainability! Whole Foods is a genius! They sold me convenience and conservation, and I bought right into it! Needing to resolve this unease, I rationalized that my new bag has a cute design that will be a nice addition to my current motley crew of sustainable shopping bags. I love it, the earth loves it, it's all good, debate over.

* Puccini and Mia Dolce in disbelief of my collection (13 shown here, more in hiding to protect my innocence).