Sticker Shock

Buying groceries in bulk is better for the environment, right? That's what I am telling myself because after one trip to Sam's Club for groceries and other essentials, I am out $400. There goes that paycheck! I didn't realize saving money would cost so much. Luckily, the cost will eventually be split between me and my other three roommates, but as an initial payment it was quite a lot.

Only a fraction of the total, which filled the back of a jeep.

But of course, we won't have to buy toilet paper or paper towel for months. There is less packaging on all of our products and everything was cheaper per unit. So overall, it was a good thing. Plus, I won't have to pay for groceries for a long time (not only because we have a LOT of food, but also because my roommates now owe me money and will pay for future trips to the store.

While I was loading all the various foods and toiletries onto the conveyor belt, though, I had to wonder. How can all of this pure consumption be good for the environment? It is hard to see exactly how much extra we need just to live in a college apartment when you buy it in small quantities over time. When you buy a month or two's worth all at once, it really hits home. If I need 48 rolls of toilet papers and 10 containers of Clorox wipes to survive, I don't think I could make it in the wilderness. Then again, all of these supplies originally came from nature at some point. We have just diluted them and morphed to until they no longer resemble anything natural. It sort of proves how much we have separated ourselves from the wilderness.