Letter to the editor: Environmental concerns in grocery stores

Giant Eagle has eliminated plastic bags in many of its Ohio stores and is charging 5 cents for paper bags, with plans for the same to follow in Pennsylvania. Patrons still can use their own cloth bags, and most of us realize that’s a dirty practice. Where have these bags been, and should they be allowed on the food belt?

I am strongly in favor of eliminating plastic grocery bags, as most everyone knows how polluting these bags can be. However, until such time that all food stores adopt the big box stores’ method of placing purchased items back into empty food carts without first being bagged into an individual’s dirty cloth bag, where is the sanity?

And while discussing ways in which to accomplish better sanitation, there is a certain local store that allows dogs, older children wearing shoes and most anything to be pushed around in its food carts. Can laws be passed for the general welfare of everyone?

It’s all about alternatives the general public wants in an attempt to clean up our environment, while our Pennsylvania politicians on both sides favor big dirty business. As a result, we residents are saddled with additional costs.

Maybe some grocery stores will adopt the practice of taking back empty bottled water containers so they can be properly recycled. And might I suggest doing so at the cost of the original manufacturer? That should bring some real needed change.

Marian Szmyd

Penn Township, Westmoreland County