Paper or Plastic: Plastic!

Sent to Whole Foods corporate:

Paper or Plastic: Plastic!

Recently I stopped shopping to the Whole Foods store in White Plains, NY. The reason: Whole Foods no longer makes plastic bags a free option, only paper. I am guessing this is because of pressure from shoppers who think they are superior (Whole Foods has the snootiest and most insufferable customers of any food store) because they do not use plastic, thinking this is better for the environment. Wrong!

In the abstract this is not at all clear. As a practical matter, consider this:

1. Most of the insufferables DRIVE to Whole Foods in their pollution-mobiles. I walk. That alone trumps any possible advantage paper might have.

2. Trees are destroyed to produce the paper bags.

3. I use the plastic bags to dispose of my garbage in my apartment building. Plastic is the only option, so they are reused.

4. Whole Foods gives a parking voucher to driving customers. Walkers get nothing.

5. You penalize walkers by asking us to PAY for plastic bags.

Let me know when plastic bags are again a FREE option. Then I may shop there again. Now I am forced to drive to Stop & Shop, which is further away.

NYC Mayor Bloomberg responds but WP Mayor Delfino does not.

I have sent many messages to WP Mayor Delfino. I have never received a response. Though I am not a New York City resident I received a response to a message that I had sent to NYC Mayor Bloomberg. See below.

Casework 481154

"Cobb, Ken"
...
Monday, March 3, 2008 10:34:47 AM
To:ken@matinale.net

Dear Mr. Matinale:

The Mayor's Office referred to my attention your recent e-mail message
regarding vital records. Given the confidential nature of the
information recorded on birth, marriage, and death certificates most
agencies responsible for them, such as the New York City Health
Department, do not provide direct access to certificates via the
internet. In some jurisdictions, indexes to vital records are now
available electronically. If you are interested in aggregate data
compiled from vital records, the New York City Health Department does
publish various reports and studies; many of which are available in the
City Hall Library (www.nyc.gov/records for more information).

Sincerely,

Kenneth R. Cobb
Assistant Commissioner
NYC Department of Records & Information Services
31 Chambers Street, Suite 305
New York, NY 10007
212 788-8604
212 788-8614 (fax)
kcobb@records.nyc.gov