EMBARRASSED to be "green"??

LuvMySoldier · **EMBARRASSED to be "green"??**

I was wondering if any of you who DO consider yourself to be "living the green life" are ever embarrassed because of it? Do people ever give you strange looks for say, carrying a cloth bag into a grocery store, or taking in your recyclables? Do you CARE?

And for those of you who are THINKING about becoming "more green" (but haven't made the switch) do you think you might NOT because you're afraid of what others might think? Do you think you'd be embarrassed in front of friends or family, and so you DON'T recycle, or make any changes in your lifestyle? If so, what are your reasons?

I try to do more and more things to become "more green", but I have to admit that I might be embarrassed to take a cloth bag into Walmart - So I haven't yet. But give me time.

No one will flame you, bash you, or try to talk you into anything if you admit that you would be embarrassed to "go green". I am just curious as to the different reasons why you are hesitant. Be honest and specific if you can. And for those of you who are already "green", what are your reasons for not being embarrassed?

melsb · 09-28-2007, 10:22 AM

You know I take my cloth bags to the grocery store all the time but I haven't made that switch to any other store just yet and I don't know why. Part of it is I don't think of it and part of it is because it seems a little strange, for lack of a better word. I need to train myself on this hung up!

Spoodler · 09-28-2007, 10:47 AM

Nobody looks at me weird when I take my cloth bags into stores.

Actually...I have had a few people ask me where I got my bags.

frugalmom1 · 09-28-2007, 11:10 AM

I have no problem going into any store with my canvas bags. I don't care what other people think. I'll probably never see most of them again anyway. I do many "green" things because it feels right to me and are in line with my values.

kamsmommy · 09-28-2007, 12:49 PM

I have not switched to cloth bags. I'm interested but I would think I would never have enough. I come home with a lot of bags!

I would definately be more embarassed in Walmart than a grocery store. For one thing it would hold up the line because at the grocery stores I go to you take it over and bag yourself.

vioburn · 09-28-2007, 02:52 PM

I'm not embarrassed to be green and if I shopped at Walmart, I would bring in my cloth bags. (I am currently in a sort of boycott against Walmart) I bring them into other stores, although I have to admit, I've never actually thought about bringing them into Target or anything. That's not a bad idea.

I live close enough to Boulder, that anything I do that is green doesn't even compare to what some of the Boulderites do, so no one would be looking at me strange, except if they think you are NOT green enough!

calimari · 09-28-2007, 03:04 PM

It would never occur to me to be embarassed. I find it shocking when I'm at my in-laws and I toss something in the kitchen garbage and see cans, plastic, boxes, etc. all in there. I have been using cloth grocery bags for at least 15 years. No one has ever commented except an occasional "where did you get those?" question. A few I bought at Target years ago when they sold some "green earth" fabric grocery bags. The rest are from the Detroit Internatlonal Auto Show - they used to give the press these bags FILLED w/ all the PR stuff. They are HUGE. One of those bags would easily carry the equivalent of 2 paper bags or 6 plastic. I can heft it up over my back/shoulder, so they can really fill them up.
I also get paper/plastic as sometimes I just take 1 or 2 bags for a quick trip and end up buying more. That's OK - I used the paper ones to recycle the newspapers, and I used the plastic ones for scooping the litter boxes. I always put them on the counter before I empty my cart, so they see I have my own bags. On occasion I've forgotten to do that & they start bagging w/ their bags - that's OK - because I'll use those bags too. But it would never occur to me to be embarassed. Even if I'm at a friends' for a wine party, when the wine is empty I'll ask where they put their bottles to recycle - I just assume everyone does it.

satsukirebel · 09-28-2007, 03:17 PM

The only time I ever use cloth bags is when I'm at Aldi. I think for me its easier to let them bag my stuff and then take the plastic bags home so I can reuse them. I use them for cat litter, packing items for shipping, garbage bags in my small trashes, etc. I prefer to bring things home and then reuse them however I see fit. I do make green cleaning items and recycle when I can. I just like holding onto "trash" items since I like to do repurpose crafting. For instance- you can make a fabric out of melted plastic bags at home. (I haven't done it but if you'd like the link pm me.)

treehugger · 09-28-2007, 03:26 PM

I did feel goofy at first because no one really did it around here. But now I feel good about it and people are jumping on the band wagon with me. I even took my canvas bags in to buy my wine last week. The clerk thought it was cool!

Stormy · 09-28-2007, 03:55 PM

I'm not embarrassed at all. I feel very progressive when I bring cloth bags into stores. Most of the times I'm thanked for it. My dh is Canadian and it has been MY (I'm sure not everyones) experience that they are much more progressive in the Green department than we are in the US. Where we frequent it is a way of life for many, many people. There are Three 'garbage' cans instead of just one Everywhere: Waste, Recycle and Compost. Everyone abides by it. In fact, where my Inlaws live it is against the law Not to compost. They can, will and do sift through your garbage and will fine you if you do not recycle and compost. So when we go there, it is a happy change and it does carry over into our life here in the US.