Earth Day Becomes Bag Day for Scuppies

Have you noticed how intimidating a trip to the grocery store is these days--if you don’t bring your own shopping bags? And most stores don’t even bother asking if you want plastic; they don’t have plastic bags any more. Diva recently overheard one customer heatedly pointing out to the checkout person: “Well, if you no longer provide plastic bags--which I actually reuse for a hundred things around my house, like collecting dog poop [can’t use paper for that]--then I guess I have to go get a box of plastic bags to add to my grocery order. The difference is, I pay for the bags; you don’t!”

Of course, the Whole Foods’ eco-friendly bag, for which customers pay, has become extremely popular. You see it at the beach or the shopping mall, as well as at the grocer. San Francisco and other cities are passing ordnances outlawing plastic bags provided by retailers. As Earth Day, April 22, approaches, recyclable bags are a big deal. Even the Chinese are getting in on the act. This summer, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce will begin fining up to 10,000 Yuan (about $1,428 USD) if stores provide shoppers with free plastic bags. So, if you are headed to Beijing for the Olympics, take a re-useable, eco-friendly bag with you.

This green thing is becoming a whole consumer movement. Marketers are now searching for a new moniker for Earth-friendly consumers. The term LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) has been around for a while, referring to folks who have green values. Now, According to
USA Today, the caption “Scuppies”--socially conscious upwardly mobile persons--is being introduced by Chuck Failla, who operates a New York/Connecticut financial services firm. The term borrows from earlier names, including yuppies, buppies, and the like. You can see his take on Scuppies on his Web site, where his “The Scuppie Manifesto” is posted at www.scuppie.com. He is officially launching his Scuppie movement on Earth Day this year, along with his new book [sort of like the Preppy Handbook that was popular some years back].

Diva says, you can decide whether or not you are a Scuppie. But, hey, recyclable bags are good for everyone--except Fido.

--Diva.

Comments

[Christa]

Thanks for your post! I'd have to say I respectfully disagree with the comments made by a shopper you overheard. Plastic bags cost retailers a boatload of money, so they'd all be wise to ditch them. For example, my company spend $7 million every year on plastic bags. I hardly see why we should incur that kind of cost to pollute the environment (plastic bags take 400 years to decompose) and help your overheard shopper pick up her dog's poop.