Ah, the weekend. Two special days on which I can do anything I please, even if it’s nothing but watch television. I reserve my right to park my butt on the sofa and watch the Science Channel all day in my jammies. I could literally spend an entire weekend watching that show Morgan Freeman narrates about about space, time travel and black holes. I love that stuff.
So, on my two special days of the week, the last thing I want to do is trek across my congested metropolis to do my weekend grocery shopping. See, I’m always searching for superfoods that are tasty and good for the body and, if you have “exotic” items on your list, traveling to several grocery stores may be the only way to get ‘er done. Sadly, one can’t find decent almond butter at Alberstons and you can’t get things like garbage bags at Trader Joe’s – hence multiple trips. So, what’s an eco-conscious gal (or guy) to do?
It’s really simple – just talk to the grocery store manager.
Oh, but not so fast. First, we know that some grocery stores (ahem, TJ’s) adhere to some pretty strict, corporate standards and – despite how much we may plead with a local manager to just carry some garbage bags already! – they probably will never carry convenience items. So our best bet is to target the big guys – you know the ones – who may be willing to bend a little to adjust to the preferences of a local crowd.
It’s a fairly simple conversation which should go something like this:
You: Hello there. Listen, I really like the convenience of this big supermarket you’ve got here. It’s close to my house, super-clean, has wide aisles which are easy to navigate and – wow – it’s really bright in here.
Grocery Store Manager: Thank you!
You: But, y’know, I find myself driving all over town to pick up some items you don’t carry and I would much prefer to visit less than 4 grocery stores to get all my shopping done. Plus, it’s my day off and I’ve got several episodes of Through The Wormhole: With Morgan Freeman waiting for me on my DVR at home.
GSM: Okay … what kind of items are you talking about?
You: Nothing too crazy – agave nectar, almond butter and organic coconut oil.
GSM: I don’t think that will be a problem.
You: Great, thank you! Oh, by the way, would you consider dimming your lights during daylight hours to conserve energy?
GSM: Absolutely!
Give your store of choice at least 3 weeks to stock their shelves with the items you requested and don’t forget to thank the manager personally once they arrive. This will make any future requests more likely to be granted. And it was easy – all you have to do is ask.
Just one simple conversation could net you an extra couple hours of weekend time which you can use to spend time with family, ride a bike or watch 2.5 episodes of fascinating television.
Nicole Longstreath has a problem with premium cable. She also writes a blog about being socially responsible, please check it out at www.aviewfromtheedge.net/blog
