Bags get sacked

isilzha · 07-20-2008, 04:43 PM

Bags get sacked

Farmer charges for bags to make ecological point; some customers tell him to get stuffed

By Rex W. Huppke
Chicago Tribune reporter
July 20, 2008

So there's this guy at the Evanston Farmers Market, earthy type, grows organic arugula and bok choy and all manner of eco-friendly hippie chow. His stand is a favorite stop for greenish types and locavores and, well, people who get up early on Saturdays to buy stuff like fresh arugula and bok choy.

But as wildly popular as Henry Brockman and his operation might be, there was one thing that drove the environmentally friendly farmer nuts. It was the plastic bags. He would hang them up in bunches, the wispy-thin grocery store jobs, and people would grab them up as if they were nothing, stuffing their beans in one, their zucchini in another and so on.

"That just grated on my nerves from the beginning," he said. "I'm an organic farmer, and here I am buying all these plastic bags and handing them out willy-nilly."

Brockman decided he had had enough. The first customer who showed up at the third market of the season and asked for a bag got this: OK, we charge 25 cents for four bags. You can take one, or all four or however many you want.

Now you would think this would be a pretty harmless move, considering Brockman deals with people who go out of their way to buy organically grown food and are willing to pay a premium for it. Seems he would be preaching his environmental message to the choir.

But the farmer learned there are varying shades of green, and some cling tight to their right to a free plastic bag.

Brockman got an e-mail from Chicago attorney and longtime customer Joan Ferraro: "While I admire your dedication to trying to change the environment for the better, I have to tell you I find your plastic bag policy offensive. You are in the business of selling produce. If you don't provide something for the people to take your produce home with, you are not good businesspeople."

One customer, upon hearing of the bag charge, tossed her vegetables on the counter and stormed off. Another angrily swore she would carry her produce in her hands around the market to show everyone how stingy Brockman was.

More

isilzha · 07-20-2008, 04:48 PM

Seems to me that its his business, if he wants to charge for bags and you don't want to pay or them you could either go someplace else or bring your own bags. I certainly don't see acting rudely or yelling about it as worthwhile.

I remember we used to like to walk through this park and afterwards we would stop at this McDonalds and buy ice cream for everyone. We did this every few weeks - we would take my Grandparents out for a walk then a treat. One of these times my Mom asked for a glass of water along with our order and we were told that there was a $.25 charge - the water was free, the cup was $.25. She paid the $.25 to have a drink with her ice cream, but we have never been back there. Its been at least 10 years and that is all we think of every time we go past there. But there's no reason to have a big fit over it.

BerryBaby · 07-20-2008, 09:26 PM

Aha! Happy to hear it happened to someone else and not just me.

Years and years ago, I wrote to McDonald's complaining about that very subject. It wasn't long after they sent me a letter and changed their policy to provide water in a small cup for no charge.

One letter did the trick, you may want to go back, things have changed!

Food Network Fan · 07-20-2008, 09:28 PM

I have heard some places inventory their cups as sold beverages. But a cola wouldn't be 25 cents.

isilzha · 07-20-2008, 09:41 PM

Thats how it is at my work, he can't give away a regular cup just for water because that is expected to be worth X amount. Instead we have plain styrofoam cups to give for water. One time a lady just grabbed one of our regular cups for water and walked off with it so he ended up charging her regular fountain drink price for it. But seriously, who just grabs without asking?