Paper or plastic

A few weeks ago, I swallowed my pride and went into the churning clanging clusterfuck that is the 14th St. Trader Joe's. Being new to whole experience, and a little overwhelmed by the clanging and churning, I managed to get out of there with little more than a burrito and some chocolate pussy.


At the checkout, I was asked a question I don't remember hearing in years -- "Paper or plastic?". I seriously thought that query had gone the way of the dodo (and the macarena and flannel "grunge" shirts and Kato Kaelin) But apparently not according to California-based TJ's....it was still something worthy of making me expend precious energy to think about and then vocalize a response.

Now, because I haven't actually gotten a paper bag from a grocery store in NYC for about 6 years, I muttered, "Plastic is fine". Which, to me, it was. I then realized everyone else was getting paper. If 98% of your clientele want the same thing, why even ask? And, seriously, I thought this debate had been settled a long time ago. What I recalled (and I believe this is the accepted knowledge) is that paper took more energy to produce -- polluting the air, but plastic took less energy to manufacture, but didn't decompose well -- polluting to ground. Basically, it's a zero sum game -- either way, your fucked. Why even ask?

I bring this up, only because I hope my good friend Ann will explore this in her new earth-mother/Mother Earth blog Eco-Chick. Definitely chick check it out.

(photo shameless stolen from someone's flickr stream.)