I invite the readers of my posts to share their stories as often as they can please. Stories unravel lifestyles, gives us insight into an era that soon could be forgotten or get distorted to the whims and fancies of more privileged. I may not do justice to this story with my limited vocabulary, but I will try.
Recycling has become a big phenomenon nowadays. With various types of packaging, even the type of packaging material matters to decide on recycling. It has become a specialized learning by itself. This realization took me back to the days when I was helping my uncle in his grocery store and how simple the packaging was then.
Every customer came with a bag or two or bottle or two. No bags, no grocery unless the bare hands can carry them. Bottles for oils and bags for loose groceries were common. My uncle used old newspapers to make funnel type packages to pack the groceries. Depending on the quantity purchased, the size varied, but not the shape. Grains were stored in jute bags, oils in big tin cans and cookies and biscuits in glass jars. Even bar soaps for washing clothes were cut to desired lengths. Only prepacked items were bath soaps and tooth powders.
Even better recycling was done by those who were coming to store on bicycles or by foot from nearby villages. They had just one piece of cloth. They had no bottles, but carried tin cans. One piece of cloth packed all the groceries and the way they tied it did not even need newspaper packages. Those who came on bicycles wrapped it around the bicycle handles or on the carrier seat at the back. Those who came on foot had it wrapped on their shoulders. As simple as that the packaging then! They may one day serve as an inspiration to a different type of packaging and recycling and may even help purchases fine tuned to nearest grams.