The Enviro- & Cost-saving Costco Trip?

You have to love a store like Costco. Less packaging means eco-savings and cost-savings too. It is essentially an environmentally-friendly store.

Or at least that is what I like to tell myself when we are off to slap down what I know will be at least a few hundred dollars. Our handy list reads: Ecos natural laundry detergent, Kashi cereal, Silver Hills organic bread and organic salad mix- all these terrific, organic or natural products at a significant cost savings compared to other stores that sell the smaller versions at almost the same price. This was awesome! It was really good that we had found all these natural products at Costco of all places. And did I mention the organic tofu???

Where is my list? I just had it and...M must have confisicated it. Not sure where she left it and I am not about to plough our cart back through the crowds to find it.

Then my vision gets blurred...bright shiny red peppers, gorgeously plump grapes, and a different imported French cheese that we could try. I also see a nice jacket that looks like it would be great for fall, some kids books that M would just love, and some CDs. The cart grows weary under the strain of a mountain of groceries, books, CDs, clothes, and- somewhere in the mix- a toddler.

Then it hits me- I didn't read the label. Where were the BC Hot House Bell Peppers from? You'd think B.ritish C.olumbia- but Mexico? I begin reconsidering my purchases- red peppers are on the "Dirty Dozen" list (http://www.foodnews.org/), one of the worst offenders for pesticide residues (No. 3 to be exact!) No wonder they are such an appealing, glowing red colour. The imported grapes from Chile don't fare too much better as they come in at number 9. And imported cheese? Shouldn't I be buying local? What happened to my resolution to buy local, organic products and support local business?

And the jacket, books and CD? Consumerism at its best! Unneeded impulse buys, to be sure! Not exactly the most environmentally friendly thing to do.

And I am pretty sure all these last-minute additions were made in China. I was trying to avoid buying stuff from overseas (you know, the fossil fuels are just burning up!), but especially China (human rights issues, among other things). It made me reflect (yes, reflect! MT) on the video I had watched online just a few months earlier about what our consumerist-driven society is doing to our Earth (http://www.storyofstuff.com/). What was I thinking???

What has happened to me? To us? Husband was looking at computer equipment too, so it is not just me on this slippery, slippery slope.

Meanwhile, M is muching on everything from every food demo station we pass. Bad, because I usually read labels of everything she eats and today she is chowing on everything over-processed from crackers to cream puffs. Good, because she didn't eat any of her organic milk and cereal this morning and really needs a little something to get her through the line-up without a major meltdown.

Then I remember the hilarious SNL skit about Costco being the best place to take a date out for dinner and I realize that this must be true for toddlers too. M looked like she was having the time of her life- little bites here and there, a variety of foods (dessert even comes first here!), no pressure to eat because mom & dad are busy shopping, and a welcome diversion from the monotonous ride in the shopping cart. Well, maybe it isn't sooo bad, she is eating after all and she hasn't eaten a good meal in a few days.

As we exit the store, I think that maybe, just maybe, Costco isn't exactly the most environmentally-friendly store. But we must have saved ourselves some money and at least M did get lunch out of the deal. I remind myself that waiting at home are our organic, locally grown carrots and hopefully they can undo some of the damage we've done.

What a trip. Literally and figuratively.