My first full day in Romania, I had to complete the task of grocery shopping. I was really excited to have this experience, but encountered some differences along the way. I guess that is to be expected, though. So I arrive at the store, and look at the carts. They are lined up, stacked together in front of the store, just as you would see in the United States. However, when I went to pull a cart out, I discovered that each one was connected by a short chain to the cart in front of it. What was this? How was I supposed to get a cart? I stood there and thought about it for a minute, and then decided to watch the people around me to see how I was going to obtain a cart to complete my shopping. Then I understood... In order to get a cart, you have to insert a 50 ban piece (the equivalent of about 15 cents) which then releases the short chain, allowing you to get the cart. Then, when you return the cart, you put the coinback in and you get your 50 ban piece back.
This is simply an insurance system, and it is quite effective. This system ensures that the carts are returned to the front of the store, and not left around the parking lot, like we often see in the United States. Also, people do not steal the carts because they want their 50 ban back. Although this was shocking to see at first, this system really does make sense, and is truly effective.
At the end of this same grocery shopping experience, I got to the check out line and realized there was no bag boy to put away my groceries. And then the question came... "How many bags do you want?" I was wondering if I had understood the clerk right, but indeed I had. In Romania, you have to buy the bags that you use to carry your groceries home in. Then, when you return to the store, you bring the bags you have purchased to re-use. Is really just a way to conserve resources, and for the stores to make a little extra money. The bags really aren't that expensive, and re-using them makes sense. Romanians are very resourceful people, and always use what they have. The problem... When you forget to bring the bags you have at home...
I'd completely forgotten about that. In France, they have similar "policies" but the carts require a deposit of about a Euro and the bags half that...it adds up quickly. What's really annoying is when you don't have change...
ReplyDeleteWow, I've never seen anything like that. Then again, I've pretty much been confined to the states my whole life. I think it's a really good idea to implement things to conserve our resources. Honestly, it makes so much more sense.
ReplyDeleteYa it's definitely confusing the first time you have to experience all of it, but it really does make sense. The more I thought about it, the more I felt like we should implement it in the States.
ReplyDeleteTotally unrelated to the post (tho' related to your project). I saw this today:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/10/14/navarrette.pot.prop/index.html?hpt=C2
Particulary this was a good argument:
"So does this: If you legalize any kind of undesirable behavior -- from vagrancy to prostitution to identity theft -- you'll remove the stigma and get more of that behavior."
That could help rebut the Prohibition argument you'll have to confront: alcohol didn't have a complete stigma prior to the Prohibition, but marijuana always has and must remain so.