I recently visited a popular bookstore, purchased a few books, then waited for purchases to be put in a bag. The cashier smiled, and slid the books across the counter to me, no bag. Now, I understand the concept of saving the planet, etc. But are some of these companies confusing being green with being cheap?? You can’t give me a bag for a product I purchased with my hard earned cash in your store, but you can leave all your lights on 24 hours a day?? Stop being cheap, start being green and give me a friggin paper bag if you have to!!!! And I’m not paying for a reusable bag. How about showing appreciation to patrons, and give away a few bags? And don’t bother leaving any stupid comments about being cheap, because I’m not. I am requesting my purchase be protected until I get home by some sort of container… paper, plastic, metal… I don’t care. Don’t make us beg for a bag to carry a purchase out of your store!!! —Rained on Book Owner
This article appears in Oct 20-26, 2011.
Heinous fuckery most foul. Or you could ask them?
yeah i was going to say the same thing.. did you ask them?
I usually put stuff like that in my backpack anyway but when i need a bag it’s nice to get one.
If the weather is inclement or the customer has bought multiple books I always bag ’em. If the customer doesn’t want they don’t have to use. If they’ve bought Chomsky or Kerouac, the smiles and weaponized anthrax are free >; )
“Heinous fuckery most foul.” I like that
Bring a bag, you cheap bastard!!;)
quel dommage
If you understand the concept of saving the planet why are you buying books made from trees instead of using an e-reader/ipad thingy?
Ivan don’t be hatin’ on me for this heresy.
You could get yourself a reusable, fold up bag (MEC has some, I’m sure other places do as well, and the bag folds back up into a little pouch), and carry it with you in case you go shopping.
I agree about the lights being on. I know it is likely for security purposes, but what about motion sensor lights?
Pork Pie – the e-readers could be more environmentally friendly, but it is up for debate. I think it depends on what they are like cradle to grave – what resources does it take to create the various e-readers? How long of a life do they have? How can they be recycled? What is left over?
Baz! Keep schtum, mate. Or I’ll be sending Dinsdale around to nail your ‘ead to the floor.
We started bringing our own bags to stores a couple of years ago in a small attempt to save the earth. Sorry you didn’t get the memo. Please accept this as the notice:
USE REUSABLE CARRYING DEVICES FOR CARRYING YOUR PRODUCT. PLASTIC IS STRANGLING OUR PLANET.
B – better
A- act polite and
G- give me
S- something to hold my ten books in when its goddamn raining outside!
Valid bitch OP:):) I know the store you speak of I think, and I have received the stare down for not having reusable bags on me, as well as environmental lectures:) Very true about their lights on all night too:):)
ps- As for all of the ” saving the planet” talk, its just a way for the company to save money, A friend of mine used to be a DM of a few certain book store locations, and laughed at the hypocricy of it, pledging reusable bags, but not implementing a recycling program for all of the trash cans( a lot), leaving the lights on 24/7 not to mention if you’ve ever bought a product other than books ( which have become very popular) its wrapped in like three layers of plastic. There are actually bags that companies can purchase that are compostable( and only slightly more than regular plastic) so why would they just keep on the regular bags( even though the compostable are the same in appearance?) because then, they wouldn’t be able to push their 40$ reusable bags. If they truly ” cared” about the environment they would put more of an effort into it then just not giving out plastic bags( which costs them money).
I usually ask people if they want a bag or not with their purchase only if its small enough to put in a pocket or purse, etc. Or usually I just bag their purchase, and sometimes people say “no bag please”. I totally agree with this bitch.
E-readers being environmentally friendly is a negligible argument since they require electricity to operate. They are also virtually useless during an outtage which is when it is really handy to have a book to read.
Oceanchick, E readers last about 40 – 50 hours without a charge. You are really reaching with your comment, but I somehow think that it is your inability to read one that is holding you back. You just prefer the feel of an old book.
Try one, you’ll see.
i have a kobo, but i prefer my books. if the power goes out permanently, i guess i’ll be burning some of them
I still say that HDPE and LDPE disposeable grocery bags are the ideal solution to society’s need. How many billions of grocery bags are used in a year? And the plastic is totally recyclable.
We screwed ourselves when we got too lazy, perhaps too stupid, to recycle the grocery bags.
Now we are getting stuck with cloth bags that stink, smell, and cost a fortune. And they always seem to be in the trunk of the car, or at home, while I’m at a cash register getting stuck buying more of them.
Aren’t plastic bags recyclable? Whats the problem?
Yes, save the planet indeed – but most of these stores could care less. Look at many of the products they sell. No, they are just trying to put more $$$s in their till and not give value to the customer. Amazing what they expect people to wander out of the store with in their hands. Not everyone planned a shopping expedition when they went out that day and happened to enter a store to make an impromptu purchase.
Just shut the hell up and bag the purchase for a customer, if they do not require one they will let you know. Perhaps change some of your own wasteful habits before attempting to preach to others.
In this instance revenge is being able to order from a certain WarriorladyofGreekmythology.ca or similar and have the items sent to your home. Not always an option, especially when one wishes to browse and buy on spur of the moment. And the smug store clerks may be doing themselves out of a job, as the warrior lady seems to do fairly well these days.
i know this didn’t happen at ivanski’s store. they give great bags, mostly for over the heads of douchebags like you, though.
OB, buy online! They’ll deliver the books to you typically for free, in a nice cardboard box, which is filled with all those air-filled cushioning bags, and then everything all wrapped in packaging tape. Plus it’s cheaper than buying locally or even in the actual store (which has an online version). Talk about saving the environment. Fuck, I don’t bother recycling….never have, and the garbage collectors never say a damn thing about it….they honestly don’t care about recycling either.
Ah, the old Al Gore/David Suzuki scam.
THis store can’t be the only place you can buy a book.
As for saving the planet, its going to be destroyed anyway.
You know that small yellow dwarf star its presently circling….it will grow into a red giant & this place will become various gases !
Have any of you seen photo’s of this planet from space ?
I believe we need to rename this planet ‘Water’ …cause there sure is a lot more of that visible than ‘earth’