Washington, D.C.
Boulder.
Seattle.
New York City.
These are just some of the major cities that charge a tax, or small fee, to provide customers with plastic bags at grocery and convenience stores.
Then, there are the cities who have outright banned them: Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. (Fun fact: California led this initiative by becoming the first state to ban them in the country in 2014)
Admittedly, the tax or fee if you want a plastic bag is nominal: anywhere from 4 to 7 cents.
But, it's the principle, right?
And guaranteed, there are thousands of people in these cities who are annoyed to pay it, but yet still can't find a way to remember to bring their reusable bags.
Yes, the tax is meant to curb plastic bag use - but how do you make carrying those canvas bags into the store something you'll actually remember to do?
How many times have you gotten as far as to put them in your car (buried under that stuff you keep saying you're going to drop off at Goodwill, too, probably), but then gotten in to the store only to groan halfway through checking off items on your shopping list: "I left the darn bags in the car again."
Or perhaps you do remember them! (Yay!) But then in the store, you plop them down in your cart or basket first thing, and only realize while you're checking out that the cereal boxes, produce, and jars of salsa are now making it impossible to get to your bags and the cashier is already loading up your lunchmeat into plastic bags.
Ack!
Oftentimes people will pay for convenience - even if it means more plastic bag waste. Toolaloo is designed to solve all of those problems. It's not meant to be a nuisance or another 'thing' to have taking up space in your pantry. No, Toolaloo is designed to make life easier - and serve more than just one purpose.
It's designed by a mom and an entrepreneur who has gone through these grocery store frustrations over and over - and finally decided to do something about it.
Who doesn't want one less thing to remember, anyway?