As a grocery clerk, I can see this idea being very effective among the people, and the environment.

Plastic bags are commonly used by retailers because they are cheap, strong, functional, lightweight, and a hygenic means of carrying food and other items. However, we use a staggering amount of plastic bags, despite their harmful effects. Plastic bags litter the landscape, kill animals, are non-biodegradable, and created using petroleum.

I propose a change to this system, using biodegradable plastic shopping bags. Also, if a customer may wish to use a biodegradable bag, it will cost them a mandatory fee. Therefore, a customer will be more inclined to bring their own bags to avoid a fee. However, if they forget their cloth bags, they can use a biodegradable bag, and still save the environment.

When viewing this idea, it may appear that cloth bags are the proper solution, but they have not been effective. A large majority of the customers I help each day forget their cloth bags. Further, cloth bags have been receiving negative press recently as 'unhygenic'. In many households, these plastic bags we have been typically using are ultimately utilized as garbage bags. Replacing non-biodegradable plastic bags with biodegradable bags will positively impact each of the issues I stated above. I hope that my store takes more steps towards a green approach, and possibly utilize my idea.