Bag pusher. That's what I call the woman behind the counter at our local news stand and the teenager who works weekends at WaWa. Man. It doesn't matter what I buy - a pack of gum or an apple - they insist on putting it in a bag. (Most shoppers stop, turn around and take the bag...)

"Wanna bag?" the teenager says as I start to walk away with my purchase. Obviously not. "Why do you ask?" I want to say. I also want to inform him of the environmental devastation plastic bags are causing. I should tell him that:

Americans throw away over 100 billion plastic bags each year and that plastic bags start as crude oil, natural gas, or other petrochemical derivatives, which are transformed into chains of hydrogen and carbon molecules known as polymers or polymer resin and that after being heated, shaped, and cooled, the plastic is ready to be flattened, sealed, punched, or printed on?" (Worldwatch Institute)

But no. I just shake my head and walk away.

The bag pushers are in the same category (to me anyway) as the kid at Starbucks who makes my latte in a paper cup then dumps it in my travel mug. "Why'd you do that?" I ask. "Don't know. It's just easier, I guess." he replies. "Nucklehead," I say under my breath. "You know I bring my own cup to avoid using a paper cup?" I say. "Oh," says the Nucklehead out loud. Who knows what he says under his breath. I guess the better solution would be to educate this "barister" about the environmental cost of paper cups.

I should tell him that:

Paper coffee cups do come from a theoretically renewable resource: trees. Sadly, trees aren't being harvested in a renewable fashion, and the bio-degradable alternatives, like hemp fiber, aren't being applied in any meaningful way. If those cups were produced from a truly renewable resource, and composted properly instead of being hauled to Michigan, they wouldn't have that large a negative impact, besides the losses of energy. Sadly, the paper is most often from trees from poorly managed forests, which is produced irresponsibly, and then tossed in the garbage to be driven hundreds of kilometers and buried with other trash, where even the benefits of composting are lost.

Trees that aren't harvested properly are from regions in which the trees are being harvested faster than they can be replaced. Perhaps more importantly, trees aren't just sources of fiber; they protect and generate soil and provide habitat and nourishment for the ecosystems in which they live. Removing trees removes entire communities, when it's done incorrectly. Alternatives are available, but they aren't currently being pursued on a large scale. The bleaching of tree pulp to make paper has long been known to be a source of environmental problems. Depending on the bleaching methods used, complications ranging from poisoning to birth defects have been connected with making paper white. Lastly, at least some of the nutrients and energy contained in the cups could be recaptured if the paper cups were composted instead of hauled away as trash. (www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~2ndn/tips.htm)

My excuse. I haven't even had my first cup of non-fair trade coffee.