From Coinstar's website:

Think of it as a new form of recycling—when you reuse your change instead of letting it sit idle in your coin jar, fewer coins are produced. And that translates into environmental savings by reducing hte need for limited natural resources used to create new coin.

We're deeply skeptical of any one-to-one benefit statement like this, not least because it ignores the total cost of running the Coinstar company, which is a key component of any coin recycling "movement."

If you're going to cash in your spare change, look for a Commerce Bank branch nearby first. Their change machines are free and you don't have to be a Commerce customer to use them.

“I hate it,” said Lisa DeHoff, a cafe owner shopping in a Sam’s Club here.

“It spills everywhere,” said Amy Wise, a homemaker.

“It’s very hard for kids to pour,” said Lee Morris, who was shopping for her grandchildren.

Sam's Club is offering milk pouring lessons complete with free cookies, in an effort to help acclimate consumers to the milk jug of the future:“

Just tilt it slowly and pour slowly,” Ms. Tilton said to passing customers as she talked about the jugs’ environmental benefits and cost savings. Instead of picking up the jug, as most people tend to do, she kept it on a table and gently tipped it toward a cup.

Mike Compston, who owns a dairy in Yerington, Nev., described the pouring technique in a telephone interview as a “rock-and-pour instead of a lift-and-tip.”

Demonstrations are but one of several ways Sam’s Club is advocating the containers. Signs in the aisle laud their cost savings and “better fridge fit.”

Has anyone tried these new square jugs? Were you able to pour it? Or were you crying over... um, your inability not to spill milk?

Solution, or Mess? A Milk Jug for a Green Earth [NYT]
(Photo: David Maxwell/New York Times)

The cashier first claimed that there was a limit of 5 cartridges per week, and then threatened to send Chris' picture to other stores. Finally, he confronted Chris, saying "I don't know where you're getting these, if you're stealing them... but it needs to cut down."

Chris writes:

I've finally had my first really angering customer service issue. But a little bit of background:

I run a computer repair business. Obviously, I'm constantly buying/selling computer supplies and equipment, and one of the things I get from customers and my vendors are empty ink cartridges. From my vendor they arrive assorted, so I take the ones I need for the models my customers have, and recycle the rest. I also get quite a few when customers upgrade printers. I recycle the empties at Staples, OfficeMax and Office Depot, since I don't do enough in volume to recycle directly with the ink companies. Each store gives you $3 per cartridge to spend at the store. It's a bit long to explain where I get them; and cashiers are puzzled when I tell them I run a computer repair business (since I'm only 20 and look young) so I usually say I get them from friends and it's done. Funny sidenote: once a cashier at Staples read my jacket that says my company name and said "So I guess you're going to give this money back to your employer, right?" Yep, I sure am.

At Staples, it's awesome. I'm actually on a friend basis with one of the cashiers, and when they gave out coupons for recycling cartridges, I would use them online all the time. For the reason of them having a robust online store with great prices and rebates, I spent close to $3700 after coupons with them in 2006. This year I'm almost at $1000, so I'm not a once-in-a-while customer. Staples recently changed to put the credit from recycling on your Staples Rewards card, but I don't plan on ramping down my spending given the great service I always receive.

At OfficeMax, it's a different story. They've never given out coupons, and their prices aren't that great in store or online. However, instead of recycling 3 ink cartridges for a total of $9 in credit, they allow you to recycle up to 5 cartridges for $15 in credit. This puts their prices back at being decent. Unfortunately, they don't have great prices in store/online, so I only buy in store with cartridges. I follow the rules, limit of 5/day/person. I have brought my girlfriend or a friend sometimes as well.

There's a single cashier/manager/something there that has a problem with me. To be honest, I don't even see him that much, but he feels like I'm taking the money out of his wallet when I use the cartridges for credit. It first started with him telling another cashier in a way to get me to overhear that there's a new limit of 5/week. BS. Then he outright lied to my father and I by saying that the coupon system was down, forcing me to drive to another store to get memory cards for my dad's camera.

Today was a new low. While checking out, he walked up to the checkstand and here's the conversation that ensued (he's Cashier, but not the one ringing me out, she's very nice):

Cashier: Excuse me if you don't mine[sic] me asking where did you get the cartridges?
Me: I get them from friends.
Cashier: That's impossible, you have too many of them. You come in with these and you come in with your girlfriend or a friend.
Me: (getting angry) OK, well, I'll go to the [redacted] store from now on.
Cashier: Well, I have you on camera, I'm gonna send your pictures to the other stores so they know to look out for you.
Me: At Staples, they have a box from HP - aren't you getting money for these?
Cashier: Yes well it needs to cut down.
Me: Let me ask you, am I taking the money from your wallet? Am I reaching in to your wallet and taking money out?
Cashier: No, but I'm in charge of it and it needs to cut down, I don't know where you're getting these, if you're stealing them or-
Me: No, I'm not stealing them.
Cashier: but it needs to cut down.
Me: OK.

Why would he be sending my picture around unless I've done something wrong?

I'm getting sick and tired of being treated like a common criminal because I use coupons. I play by their rules and still they don't like it. If they don't want to take coupons they should remove the program.

Thanks,
Chris

OfficeMax needs to realize that recycling is good, not bad. Try having a calm conversation with the cashier's manager, and explain your business and that you appreciate having an outlet to help you recycle. If that doesn't help, call corporate and ask the people running the MaxPerks program why their employees hate the environment.

(Photo: Getty)

Earlier this week I ordered a part from Canon USA Service for one of my Canon cameras and it arrived today. I am impressed for the fast shipping but not so much by the efficiency of the packaging.

Canon USA is headquartered in a place called "Lake Success" in New York. Out of curiosity, we checked what UPS would charge to ship a one-pound package, roughly 12"x8"x6" from Lake Success to Los Angeles. Our reader said he was pleased with the fast shipping, so let's say Canon used UPS 3 Day shipping: that would be nearly $20. We then checked how much it would cost to throw the part in an envelope and drop it in the mailbox: that would be 41¢. Well done, Canon.
(Thanks to Dale!)

David writes:

Recently, my son Justin and I both ordered Kingston 2GB USB "thumb" drives from Dell after seeing it mentioned on slickdeals.net. My son's arrived a few days before mine, and he told me that when the delivery guy handed him the box, he asked if there was anything actually in the box because it was so light. I didn't see the packaging myself until my drive arrived the other day. I asked my other son Brett, a budding photographer, to document the "unboxing" this time.

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

PREVIOUSLY: Dell: Let's Ship Tiny CDs In Massive Boxes!

The state did much more than fight to get Nestle the right to pump as much water as possible from the spring.
 
As an added incentive for Nestle, the state approved a tax refund of up to $1.68-million for the Madison bottling operation. To date, Nestle has received two refunds totaling $196,000 and requested a third tax refund.
 
Nestle had promised to create 300 jobs over five years. The most people it has ever employed was about 250. The number dropped to 205 late last year, 46 of them from Georgia, which Nestle defends as common for a work force along a state line.
 
The state estimated that the plant, which has a payroll of $6.5-million, would bring some $12-million a year in direct economic benefit to the county and the region.
 
The state says its work on behalf of Nestle was well worth it because the county was dealing with the shuttering of its other major economic engine, the meat-processing plant.
 
"This project was very important to the economic health of this rural county as the community recently suffered the closure of a major private-sector employer with the resulting loss of several hundred jobs," Page Bass, spokeswoman for the state Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development, said this month.
 
The Nestle plant opened in 2004. The Smithfield meat plant closed in 2006.

McClellan, the Nestle spokesman, said bottled-water companies should not be singled out.
 
"Treat us like any other user," he said. "People do not take bottled water and wash their dog. They do not wash their car with it. They drink it. That's the highest and best use of water."

American claims they had no alternative:

"With such a small passenger load we did consider whether we could cancel the flight and re-accommodate the five remaining passengers on other flights.

"However, this would have left a plane load of west-bound passengers stranded in London Heathrow who were due to fly back to the US on the same aircraft.

"We sought alternative flights for the west-bound passengers but heavy loads out of London that day meant that this was not possible."

Plane flies five passengers from US to London [Telegrah]
(Photo: Cubbie_n_Vegas)

From ForestEthics' press release:

ForestEthics is urging Americans to sign a petition at www.DoNotMail.org demanding a national registry that will finally offer citizens control over the unsolicited coupons, credit cards, catalogs and advertisements that fill their mailboxes on a daily basis.

The production of the 100 billion pieces of junk mail that Americans annually receive requires more than 100 million trees, while producing as much global warming emissions as 3.7 million cars.

Junk mail distributed in the United States currently accounts for 30% of all the mail delivered in the world, though 44% of it goes to landfills unopened.

Polls consistently show that between 80 and 90% of respondents dislike junk mail and are eager to find a mechanism that will address their frustration and concerns about the problem.

Vermont State Representative Christopher Pearson, who is sponsoring Do Not Mail legislation in Vermont, added, "If our experience in Vermont is any indication, Americans are eager to assert their right to protect their privacy, their right to stop needless waste, and their support for a Do Not Mail Registry."

DoNotMail.org

RELATED
"Stop getting junk mail" [DoNotMail.org]
"Phone numbers and websites to opt out of junk mail" [DoNotMail.org]

This is a nice idea. Pouring milk from a special pitcher would make us feel like some sort of ultimate Martha Stewart-esque homemaking badass.

Bag o'milk is better for the environment [Slashfood]
(Photo:Demnos0813)

In an earlier order, I purchased some coffee refills for the Senseo coffee machine. They came to me one box at a time, each in a huge box. When I opened the box up, I found that the coffee refills were already in a very small, efficient box that said on the side " Amazon.com ready to ship packaging. For some bizarre reason, they wastefully placed a small ready-to-ship box into a huge box with padding around it. Has anyone else experienced this kind of thing. It is wasteful in terms of materials and shipping costs, but also impacts the environment too. Not to mention the impracticality of receiving a huge box at your home when you are expecting something small.

You are invited to bring your own bags and get "a refund of at least 5 cents per bag."

Do you like this idea?

We're going all out for reusable! [Whole Foods] (Thanks, Corey!)

The company I work for orders all of their computers from Dell. About 4 months ago we started receiving random Adobe Acrobat Standard CDs & licenses for free with every single computer that we purchase. We did not request these CDs. At first, they came inside of the box with the computer. Soon, they started arriving in a padded envelope. After that, they began arriving in their own box, complete with paper padding, and a padded envelope. We have received well over 100 of these.

Christian, just wanted to circle back and let you know that we're working this now. As much as we would like this to be a very simple fix it isn't. But you do have our commitment that we will have this fixed in the next six months. Two things we are looking at:

1. Option to exclude all manuals and CDs from packaging at time of order. And, an option to have one set delivered for multiple systems.

2. A move to packaging alternatives

We'll be sure to keep you posted.

Best,
Sean

Dell and the environment: green is out, brown is in [Technologist For Hire]
Update on Dell's Environmental Impact [Technologist For Hire]

To that end, the store features "decorative floor boards and moldings are made from the material leftover from making the leg holes in disposable diapers."

Yes, really. We weren't aware that producing "leg holes" resulted in a lot of waste, but we sure are happy to hear that it's being put to good use. Here are some other features of a "green" Walmart:

• 
  
• The exposed concrete floor made of waste left over from coal operations
  
• A new system for keeping refrigerated food cold that lowers the use of refrigerant by 90 percent and in turn reduces greenhouse gas emissions
  
• Motion-sensitive light-emitting diodes (LED) in refrigerator and freezer cases
  
• Doors in the meat and dairy refrigerated sections instead of open refrigerator shelves
  
• 200 skylights that allow electric lights to go down when the sun comes out

Wal-Mart aims for a green look in Romeoville [Chicago Tribune]
(Photo:handh07)

But cadmium batteries can be hazardous to make. In southern China, Wang Fengping worked for years in plants that produced cadmium batteries for the likes of Mattel Inc., Toys "R" Us Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Like hundreds of her colleagues, Ms. Wang regularly inhaled the toxic red cadmium dust that filled the air in the plant.

Now, at 45, Ms. Wang is often too weak to walk. Her kidneys have failed, and her doctors have identified cadmium poisoning as the likely culprit. About 400 other workers at her former employer, Hong Kong-based GP Batteries International Ltd., have been found to harbor unsafe levels of cadmium, a toxic metal like mercury and lead that can cause kidney failure, lung cancer and bone disease.

Some toy-makers, like Hasbro, have eschewed the use of cadmium in their products because of their toil on the environment and the health of the workers who manufacture the batteries. Mattel, however, still uses cadmium batteries, claiming that they have "performance advantages." Walmart says it doesn't buy or use cadmium batteries produced by the manufacturer that employed Ms. Wang, but declined to comment further.

Toxic Factories Take Toll On China's Labor Force [Wall Street Journal] (Thanks, Aaron!)
Ms. Wang's Blog [Yahoo!]

Hey Consumerist!

discounteggroll here, with another example of wasteful packaging. I ordered a headphone adapter for my iphone from PCConnection.com for $4 shipped, but the box and packaging it came in was ridiculous (see attached photo). Not only is the headphone adapter in its own packaging, but it was INSIDE a DHL bubble wrap bag, sitting ON TOP of a DHL bubble wrap bag and paper inserts, and padded with about 10 feet of paper packaging inside of its shipping box.

Shipping was free, but at what cost?

The measure, effective June 1, eliminates the flimsiest bags and forces stores to charge for more durable bags, making China the latest nation to target plastic bags in a bid to cut waste and conserve resources.

Beijing residents appeared to take the ban in stride, reflecting rising environmental consciousness and concern over rocketing oil prices.

"If we can reduce waste and save resources, then it's good both for us and the whole world," said college student Xu Lixian, who was buying tangerines out of cardboard boxes at a sidewalk stall.

Using reusable bags is a good idea. Banning them. Um. Not really our thing.

Your thoughts?

Shoppers: It's BYO as China bans plastic bags [USAToday] (Thanks, Rob!)
(Photo:amyadoysie)

With that in mind, here's a letter from reader Erin:

I thought you might be interested in my experience at the usually sweet-faced Macy's the other day.

While at the Galleria in Buffalo, I ran into Macy's to purchase a couple pairs of winter tights. After being rung up, I told the salesperson that I didn't need a bag. She told me that she had to give me a bag, that I wouldn't be allowed out of the store without one. I said I would just show the receipt as my proof of purchase, and that it was no problem. Rosa told me that I could throw it out as soon as I left the store, but that I had to take it. I told her I didn't want to take it because I didn't WANT to throw it away and waste it, that I don't use plastic bags on principle. She refused to give me my tights without the bag. I was so furious at this forced environmental waste. How ridiculous and unnecessary. Great customer service!

best,
Erin

(Photo:smcgee)

Cremation was long considered more environmentally friendly than burials in graveyards, but its use of fossil fuels has raised concerns.

Eco-friendly burials have been popular in Britain for years, but industry experts say it's starting to catch on in the U.S., where "green" cemeteries hosting natural burials have sprouted up in California, Florida, New York, South Carolina and Texas.

The majority of eco-friendly burial products come from overseas - including the Ecopod, which is made in the United Kingdom - although there are a few domestic makers. Options range from natural-fiber shrouds to fair-trade bamboo caskets lined with unbleached cotton. There are also more traditional-looking handcrafted coffins made of wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Protecting the earth after death: Biodegradable coffins [AP]
(Photo: Edward All ☆s)

Want more quotes? President Bush said today, in defense of the EPA's decision, "Is it more effective to let each state make a decision as to how to proceed in curbing greenhouse gases? Or is it more effective to have a national strategy?" Okay, that doesn't add much to the discussion, so we'll go back to Schwarzenegger:

"It is disappointing that the federal government is standing in our way and ignoring the will of tens of millions of people across the nation," Mr. Schwarzenegger said. "We will continue to fight this battle."

He added, "California sued to compel the agency to act on our waiver, and now we will sue to overturn today's decision and allow Californians to protect our environment."

"Schwarzenegger: California will sue federal government" [CNN]
"E.P.A. Says 17 States Can't Set Emission Rules" [New York Times]

I recently ordered two wooden spoons, a wooden spatula and a silicone spoon rest from crateandbarrel.com - all in the same transaction. Today I received these two big boxes! One box (10x7x20) held ONE 13.5" spoon. The other box (13x13x7.5) held the other spoon, spatula and spoon rest.

It's obvious that all four items could have fit in the big box along with the big spoon. The amount of bubble pack, honeycomb paperpack and tissue paper was unbelievable.

Maybe they should help Amazon pack their hard drives. Tee-hee!

Hello, Consumerist!

I was the woman who wrote this summer about the plastic bag debacle at a Borders store in the St. Louis area.

For the record, no, I didn't want some crazy compensation from Borders; yes, I wanted the company to consider the example-setting opportunity they had; yes, I practice environmentalism where I can; no, I'm not a fanatic hippie about it; yes, I buy physical books, but I re-read them again and again before finally donating them to charity or swapping them with friends; yes, I take public transit to work and most other places; no, I don't use plastic bags when shopping and have recycled most of the ones from home; yes, I bring reusable bags to the grocery store and other places; yes, I purchase food from local farmer's markets and shops as often as possible. I hope that answers most questions your very outspoken commenters had.

Anyway, I just received this email from Borders regarding my status in the rewards program. I love earning $0, especially when I have the opportunity to print the $0 reward certificate.

I'm totally not ragging on Borders because it's fun or because it's my vendetta or something. I just found it amusing that after all of the Harry Potter stuff, they found it fitting that I receive $0 in rewards (and my rewards balance definitely is not $0).

Keep up the great work!

Allison

Because the shopping pool at ABC is so unique, it probably means the results aren't completely applicable to big box retailers who have more price-sensitive customers. On the other hand, the study found that "gift" items (candles, in this study) sold at higher rates than plain household items (towels) when the price was jacked up and a fair trade label was slapped on, which implies that shoppers believe the fair trade label itself is a valuable addition to the gift and therefore worth a premium.

This study reminds us of the chapter in "The Undercover Economist" by Tim Harford regarding fair trade coffee, which basically said that coffee shops that charge a premium for fair trade are really just practicing a form of pricing that helps them find the customers who are willing to pay more, and then giving them the opportunity to do so. (Fair trade coffee can cost less than a penny more per cup, but the sales price is often many times higher.) It doesn't mean that fair trade or sustainable products aren't better choices all round, only that the shoppers who buy them tend to care more about the label than they do about the price tag, which means retailers can take advantage of fair trade trendiness to make a little extra money.

"Virtue for Sale: Will customers pay more to do good?" [Slate]

RELATED
"The Undercover Economist" by Tim Harford [Amazon]

For washing machines, they recommend a few Kenmore and Bosch models. None are cheap, but if energy costs remain high, the prices start to look a lot more reasonable when your new washer is 60% more efficient than older models. For toilets, replacing one "made between 1980 and 1994 and you could save as much as $90 a year." If you have a natural-gas furnace that's 15 years old, you can see huge savings ("about $32 per $100 of annual fuel costs") if you spend the extra $1000 for a new one that's 95% efficient.

They also suggest looking at VOC-free interior paints like Yolo Colorhouse. VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, contribute to smog and can also aggravate allergies or respiratory ailments. And if you're looking to replace any countertops, you can check out a few brands made from recycled materials, like IceStone or PaperStone (see article for more information).

"A Shopping Guide to Eco-Friendly Products" [Kiplinger's]
(Photo: MShades)

Categories covered include "How to Choose a Contractor" and "Appliance Recycling and Disposal Information." Or, you can select an "end-use" to see a list of useful tips for saving energy and money, from categories like Ventilation, Water Heating, Cooking, Lighting, and Consumer Electronics.

The guide offers mostly practical advice, with an eye on the consumer's finances:

"We take a balanced approach in recommending the best ways to save energy and money," said Katie Ackerly, ACEEE Research Staff and co-author of the new edition. "The tips you find in the book are designed to benefit the consumer economically, improving overall satisfaction while reducing environmental impact."

"Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings: Online Guide" [ACEEE]

RELATED
Press Release at ACEEE

Michael Dell, CEO, recently told the WSJ that Dell plans to be carbon neutral by 2008.

Mr. Dell said companies have become more efficient, but he said further progress is needed because global energy consumption is expected to grow rapidly over the next few decades. A company becomes "carbon neutral" by matching its carbon emissions with green technological projects or purchasing an "offsetting" amount of emissions from other sources.

Dell Inc. Plans to Become 'Carbon Neutral' by 2008[WSJ]

What we found most interesting was the comparison section at the end, where you can see how your score stacks up against other people according to a wide variety of criteria, including gender, age, location, income, political affiliation, and education.

We scored a 3.3, mainly because of the amount of take-out food we order every month. Funny, we've been testing Mint lately and it's pointed out the same wasteful behavior. Might be time to change habits?

Consumer Consequences game [PublicRadio.org via Consumerism Commentary]

Nothing groundbreaking here—just a friendly reminder that acting now will save you money later.

A Dozen Tips for a Greener Autumn [Lighter Footstep via Digg]
(Photo:Clearly Ambiguous)

(Photo: Zainub)

"People are consciously trying to fuzzy the boundary lines between clarity and lack of clarity so they can sell more products. Everybody is trying to promote their products as green even though they may not be."

One site that can help you decide what to buy is eco-labels.org, run by the Consumers Union (who publish Consumer Reports). The site provides detailed information on various seals you can find on products, as well as the meanings behind phrases like "eco safe," "biodegrades without forming microtoxins" (whaa?), and "cruelty free."

Eco-labels believes a universal seal would be too difficult to implement, and that simply more consistency in labeling would help everyone. Of course, a federal agency seal doesn't prevent abuse or mislabeling, it just standardizes it; we saw how that turned out with the whole "organic" category. But at least you can assume a minimum standard is being met before the label "organic" can be applied, whereas today "green" is just another marketing term to appeal to a highly attractive and growing demographic of environmentally conscious—but consistently frustrated—shoppers.

"It's not easy being a green consumer" [Los Angeles Times]

RELATED
eco-labels.org

I am very sceptical of consumer power. I believe better consumption by itself is an entirely useless means of achieving political change. Those who have the most votes - the vote being the money you have to spend as consumers - are generally inclined to use them the least.

Much of Monbiot's focus these days is on the environment and the destructive effect of corporations on democracy. On his own website, he argues against the emerging model of "green consumerism," calling it "a pox on the planet":

If it merely swapped the damaging goods we buy for less damaging ones, I would champion it. But two parallel markets are developing: one for unethical products and one for ethical products, and the expansion of the second does little to hinder the growth of the first... It is easy to picture a situation in which the whole world religiously buys green products, and its carbon emissions continue to soar.

In the United States, so much of our civic role is built around a concept of "every small action matters," whether we're dealing with littering, voting for amateur singing sensations, or shopping ethically. What's the best way to do more? Any ideas?

'I am very sceptical of consumer power': Mobiot talks [newconsumer magazine]

(Photo: JK the Unwise)

...rolled her eyes and said that if I didn't want the bag, I could throw it away as soon as I left the store. I exclaimed that that was certainly the least environmentally friendly thing anyone could do, and she just pushed my book, a bag, a poster and my receipt at me and said, "Next."

Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007 23:44:03 -0700 (PDT) From: Allison
Subject: Disappointed in Service at Borders
To: ccare@bordersstores.com

I am a longtime Borders customer with a Borders Rewards card who is reconsidering her book-shopping values after an incident this evening. I'm hoping that you can help me understand what happened.

Like millions of people, I pre-ordered "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" earlier this year and planned to pick it up at the Creve Coeur, Mo., location at midnight Saturday, July 21. I obtained a line ticket July 20 and found the activities and atmosphere pleasurable. I was impressed by the staff's energy and ability to keep everyone happy. That is, until I made it to the cashier's bar.

As soon as I approached, the cashier began to pull out a plastic Borders shopping bag. I explained that I didn't need a bag, as I was only purchasing one book. She gave me an odd look and curtly said that everyone needed to have a bag. I responded that that was not environmentally friendly, especially in light of Scholastic boasting 65% certified ancient forest-friendly pulp pages in the American version of the book (Raincoast Books in Canada, however, used 100% recycled paper). The cashier again looked at me askew and said that it was policy and proof of purchase. I said that my receipt should be proof of purchase, especially since the one book I was buying was being held behind the counter and not available elsewhere in the store. She rolled her eyes and said that if I didn't want the bag, I could throw it away as soon as I left the store. I exclaimed that that was certainly the least environmentally friendly thing anyone could do, and she just pushed my book, a bag, a poster and my receipt at me and said, "Next."

I find it doubtful that Borders, Inc., had set a policy stating that each person MUST take a plastic bag with them when purchasing books, especially since I had purchased books previously (including during previous "Harry Potter" release events) without taking a bag. I also find it disturbing that this cashier brushed off my concerns with eye rolls and a short tone. I understand that the store was packed, but I was not trying to hold up the line — I simply wanted to buy the book without a plastic bag. There was no one at the door checking for bags or receipts, and most of the customers I saw only had one copy with no use for a bag.

In an age when people are finally beginning to understand the global consequences of their actions, corporations are taking measures to behave in the most environmentally way possible, and consumers are taking small but firm steps to lighten their environmental impact, I find this cashier's reaction to my baglass request and her brusque attitude in general appalling. I certainly hope that her attitude is not indicative of Borders as a whole, but I would appreciate clarification from your front office within one week. Specifically, I would like to know if taking a useless plastic bag for one item was "policy," and if it was, why? Why have a policy like that when potentially 12 million American readers may only purchase one book, which would mean potentially 12 million useless plastic bags littering the country?

I also will be sending my concerns to Treehugger.com and Consumerist.com, two massively popular websites that review the behavior of corporations.

For the record, my receipt shows the following information:
Store: 0113; Reg: 05/03; Tran#: 2201; Sale 07/21/2007; Emp: 00158; 07/21/2007 00:42 AM

Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from your corporate office within one week.

Sincerely,
Allison

Date: Sat, 21 Jul 2007 09:16:53 -0500 (CDT)
From: ccare@bordersstores.com
Dear Allison,

Thank you for contacting Borders Customer Care and making us aware of your concern. I would like to apologize for your experience at our Creve Coeur store.

I am forwarding your comments to the General Manager for the store and the District Manager for the area. I am sure the GM and DM for this store will be grateful to receive your feedback so that they can rectify the situation.

Again, thank you for taking the time to bring this matter to our attention. If there is anything else we can do for you, please let us know.

Sincerely,
Shelley
Borders Customer Care
http://www.bordersstores.com

This weekend, the store manager (I think his name was Brian), called me. He was super-nice and very apologetic, though I still don't feel completely satisfied. He said that he appreciated my positive comments on the staff and activities of Harry Potter night and agreed that most everything went well. He said that one of his cashiers approached him before going home, saying that she had a customer who didn't want a bag, and she (the cashier) didn't handle it very well. After hearing that and then receiving my email from customer service, he realized that both referenced the same incident. He apologized for his employee's behavior and said that while corporate had handed down a general mandate that all books be in bags (to speed things along and deter stealing), employees are always free to serve the customer as they see fit. This employee, he said, tried to stay a little too true to the policy and ended up offending me, the customer.

Obviously, I was miffed at being forced to take a bag when I clearly stated that I didn't want one and would be happy to show my receipt as I went out the door that was ten feet away (though no one was stationed there checking bags or receipts). That wasn't my biggest problem, though. I was more concerned with what was apparently a policy from corporate that all purchases be put into bags, even when customers were only buying one item. He said that on normal (non-Potter) days, employees ask customers if they need a bag (I've had this happen) and most customers decline if they only have an item or two. Because of Pottermania, however, the company decided that automatically putting the books into bags would easily show employees that people had purchased the book. I'm still aghast that Borders didn't take into consideration what an extra 12 million plastic bags could do to the environment and that they thought they needed them in the first place, since, again, no one was checking receipts/bags, and all Potter books were well behind the counter of approximately eight cashiers. I related all of this to the manager, and while he was sympathetic, he couldn't shed any more light on the subject.

It all just seems careless on Borders' part, though I'm sure they're not the only bookstore to do this. I think it's a bit hypocritical to put canvas bags with the Borders logo up for sale in an effort to reduce plastic bag use among customers (and show off the Borders brand) and still automatically hand out plastic bags for one of the biggest bookselling events in history. This could have been a great opportunity for Borders to lead the bagless way, and it was squandered.

What do you think? Was Borders' response sufficient? Tell us in the comments.

(Photo: s2art)