Cutting Down on Plastic Bags in PA

The Patriot-News, out of midstate Pennsylvania has a short story of a local grocery chain, Karns Foods, that is cutting back on plastic bags.

This year, more than 11 million plastic bags will sail through the doors of the seven Karns Quality Foods stores across the midstate, according to Scott Karns, the company's president. "I just look at that number and say, 'That's a lot of bags,' " Karns said.

This is the first year the company based in Silver Spring Twp. is counting, he said. "We thought it was important to tell our staff how many bags we're using and try to cut back."

Karns hopes next year to count at least 1 million fewer bags, thanks to the sale of reusable bags and other measures to curb the use of plastic bags.

Reducing their plastic bag use to 1 million from 11 million is a reduction of 90%, a laudable goal, but 100% is a better target. That a local chain in Pennsylvania uses over 1.57 million single-use plastic bags is staggering and a sobering reminder of what a problem the proliferation of these bags has become.

UPDATE: But wait, there's more! An expanded article appears in the same publication along with these tips for remembering your reusable bags!

Put the bags back in your car as soon as you finish putting away the groceries.

Stash them in the car's front seat so you see them.

Write "reusable bags" at the top of your grocery list.