Two weeks ago, I posted about how the Safeway on Rainier and Charleston sold paper bags that have no handles (which are almost useless), and the Safeway on 15th and John sold paper bags with handles (which are pretty useful). I also pointed out that the former Safeway is in a racial diverse neighborhood and the latter is in a very white neighborhood. Was there a connection? I called Safeway's corporate headquarters in California about the matter, but did not get a response.

This Sunday, however, I visited the Safeway on Rainier to buy a can of black beans, a jar of salsa, two frozen game hens, and a cheap bottle of white wine. After paying for these items at the robot (you have to use these machines at this Safeway because the lines to the human attendants are always too long), I found this...

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  • CM

They now have bags with handles? When did they appear? "A week ago," a store employee told me. And exactly why did they appear? "We have always wanted them and we finally got them," the store employee said. And when I pointed out that I had posted about the useless bags on my paper's blog just two weeks ago, she gave me a look that said: "So what?"

Is this a sign of progress? Is the world a better place now? Not at all. Real progress can only be the elimination of disposable bags.