Whole Foods shopper reveal frustrating issue with grocery delivery: 'They said they don't have a protocol'

A caregiver turned to an anti-consumerist subreddit for advice on what to do with unneeded delivery bags from Whole Foods. 

In a post on r/Anticonsumption, they explained that they took care of a bedridden person and relied on deliveries for groceries, and each delivery came with several reusable bags. 

In response to one comment that suggested returning them, the original poster explained, "They said they don't have a protocol for them, which to me means they just throw them out." 

Other comments offered some practical suggestions. One said, "Food banks are always looking for reusable bags for people to use. Mine just put out an emergency call for reusable bags." 

The thread raises an important point about the massive accumulation of waste from deliveries and packaging. Food delivery can be a lifeline, but it has a hefty environmental impact. From the harmful emissions from vehicles to the waste generated by single-use plastics used in packaging. As the thread shows, even reusable packaging still generates a lot of clutter. 

Packaging accounts for about 40% of global plastic waste, per Our World in Data. Inevitably, the vast majority of those single-use plastics will end up in landfills, which release harmful planet-warming gases. 

Finding ways to repurpose clutter and reduce waste is one of the most impactful things a person can do to mitigate the problem. Fortunately, there are several options to do just that. 

Some companies offer rewards or money for unwanted goods. For example, there are options for trading in old electronics or clothes.

Building community is another great way to help out, as one of the comments recommended.

"Do you have a local 'no buy' group?" the Redditor asked. "Mine is Facebook-based. I'd put them on there and they'd be gone."

What confuses you most about recycling protocol? Which materials I can recycle 📦 How clean the material needs to be 🧼 What the plastic numbers mean ♻️ Nothing at all 😇 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Another Redditor responded, "There's also an app not on Facebook you can try and see how active it is in your area, just called 'buy nothing' or similar one 'trash nothing.'"

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