OK this is insane

I went to Wal-mart yesterday to pick up a few things (yes I know they are evil and horrible and all of those things but they have products I can afford to buy so whatever). I really wasn't paying attention to the cashier and how she was packing my purchases (I was too busy making sure all the prices scanned correctly) and was STUNNED by how many bags I had when I put them into the car.

Was it that I bought that much stuff? Nope (although I did spend more than I planned but that is another story). I came home and counted - I bought ELEVEN things and came home with...... FIVE bags!!!!

What did I buy: a diet coke 20-oz not even a two litre (she put this in it's own bag, actually this purchase got TWO bags since there was a new bag stuck to the one the soda was in)

underwear (three pair), some razors (two packs), chapstick stuff, concealer (gotta look all pretty sometimes!), tooth brushes (one pack of two) - this she managed to squeeze into TWO bags. Apparently brand new undies might contaminate everything else since they were sequestered in their own bag.

a gift bag for Chris-moose which was placed in it's own bag.

a digital key chain photo frame (again in a bag alone).

and a mailing box which was too big for any bag.

This is INSANE!!!! I know I could have solved part of this problem by taking my own reusable bag with me but I didn't have any in the car with me. I do try and take my own bags to the grocery store each week but don't always remember to keep an extra bag in the car for stops like the one yesterday.

Even so I think that I could have easily left that store with one bag (two at the most) - there is no way that I needed 5 plastic bags. I do recycle my bags (those that I don't reuse for small garbage bags) so I try to reduce my impact on the planet. But all I can think of when things like this happen to me is what about all of the people that DON'T reuse or recycle their bags.

As I learned from Martha (Stewart for those unfamiliar with my obsession) there is the equivalent amount of petroleum in 14 plastic bags as there is in ONE GALLON OF GAS!!!!

OK I think I'm done now... does anyone have a ladder so I can get off the soapbox?