I’ve almost lived in Brooklyn for a year now and I’ve found some differences living in New York than what I’m used to as a lifelong Bay Stater. More observations to come.
I’ll admit that I’m a card-carrying liberal (not like that’s outrageous these days). The environment is a big deal to me. I hate littering like few others. I recycle everything I can. I hate wasting resources. So, I almost always decline having my groceries or other purchases bagged. If I do end up with a plastic bag, I either reuse it or make sure its recycled (which is not particularly easy to do).
In New York, though, people react strangely to the notion of not needing a bag at stores. Maybe it’s because this city is already covered in trash, I dunno. Whenever I buy items like a drink, a candy bar, or a ream of paper, I normally tell the clerk that, “I don’t need a bag.” I’m perfectly capable of carrying one or two items. Everywhere else, this has worked fine. It’s just accepted that I don’t like plastic bags. In New York, I’ve been given strange looks on more than one occasion but the weirdest response was a clerk at a 7-Eleven sarcastically thanking me for saving them the trouble. Listen, fella, this was way more about my bleeding heart liberalism than it ever was about saving 7-Eleven the cost of a plastic bag.
Also, I really look like an adult wearing a backpack everywhere I go.
photo credit: wind blown #1 via photopin (license)
