Consumer Maven

Whole Foods Bans Plastic Bags

This is not too surprising for anyone who shops there, since the signs (literally) have been prominently displayed in the check out areas for months.   As plastic bags go, theirs was by far one of the best, so much so that it has been easy to reuse them.  They fold nicely and last awhile so I would carry a few with me.  I've also rescued a few people who lost their groceries on the sidewalk when the cheaper grade plastic bags they had split open, often just from the short distance from their cars to their homes.

So I have to wonder, is the issue with plastic bags just about biodegradable issues, or is it overconsumption?  We as a people probably use far too many plastic bags, because they are too small, too weak to carry many heavy items, too icky to fold up carefully.  Plastic bags have their place - in inclement weather your grocery bag won't disintegrate while you wait for at train or bus.  Your frozen foods won't break a hole though your grocery bag, etc.  However, so many people use plastic bags with abandonment.  I've seen people at the Jewel Self Check out grab many extra bags, for what purpose, who knows, since they've already bagged their groceries.  I've also seen people at the Self Check out who don't even bother with a plastic bag - at least there's some balance.

If nothing else, the one good thing about Whole Foods policy announcement is that it helps open more dialog up about the overuse of plastic bags, and personal responsibility in their use and disposal, which is really the major issue here.  The irony here is that I have never seen a Whole Foods plastic bag adorning the urban landscape, hanging from trees or blowing down streets.  Maybe because their bags were actually re-usable, versus the ones that had very little value in the first place.  In any event, banning the plastic bag has created a space for many people to think, to discuss and to look at their own habits of plastic consumption.

On the shopping side of life, the Whole Foods plasticized bag replacement, available for 99 cents, is a bright and fun shopper!

Eddie Bauer Petite polos

Eddie Bauer does it right for us gals needing petite tops.  The problem with petite summer tops for me is that I do not have the body type that clothing manufacturers usually create their patterns for.  I am short.  I have wide shoulders.  Worse yet, I dislike form fitting summer tops that fit like swimsuits.  I like my tops to be loose and to drape.  For me, nothing adds to summer humidity and discomfort more than having a skin tight article of clothing on.

I've shopped at almost every imaginable type of store you can think of, looking for petite large tops that I feel comfortable in.  It  doesn't matter whether the store is budget, low end, high end, trendy, classic, whatever... I've consistently had the same problem except for one particular store, Eddie Bauer.

For example, I recently received a very cute, sleeveless top from one of my favorite stores.  This company knows enough to make petite tops a bit less long in the torso, and to take the sleeves up, but like most companies, it is totally clueless about sleeveless tops.  I've even called them and was told that they list all the measurements so obviously the arm hole thing is my fault.  Talk about missing the point of a customer call!!   That company rep even bristled when I suggested they reduce the size of their gigantic arm holes.

Case in point, here was my top from this particular company:    The length was perfect, the drape, perfect.  The shoulder distance, perfect.  What was my complaint???  The armholes are so gigantic that you could see the entire length of the band of my bra when I had my arms in anything but plastered flat against my sides.' 

I had ordered some sleeveless polos to replace my old ones that just wore out, and decided to buy from Eddie Bauer, since I recalled that they were the only ones that didn't seem to make sleeveless armholes for petite tops that were more suited for a sumo wrestler.  They arrived Friday.  Not only did they fit perfectly, but having a free show from armpit to armpit will no longer be an issue.  Best of all, they are available in some great summer colors!

Mexican Fine Folk Pottery in Chicago

The Consumer Maven was having a conversation with Elimar Loza, of Artesanias D'Mexico, located at 1644 W. 18th Street in Chicago.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with Mexican Fine Folk Art items, this is the place in Chicago to look, learn and buy. 

We took the photos that you see from the window outside, which accounts for the glare since Spring and the sun have finally returned to Chicago.  We have a policy of always asking before we start snapping photos, especially where artists and art objects are concerned, but always as a matter of courtesy.   Eli shared with us that they could not allow photos of items in the store (but outside was okay) because certain artists were concerned about their designs being copied.  We discussed how many consumers cannot decern between something that looks like a piece of fine fok art versus something that is just copied and mass produced.  How interesting, I thought, that people who have no artistic inspiration will just copy someone else's work and 'mass produce' it with no reunumeration back to the original artist.

This brings to mind two issues.  The first is a disrespect for an artist and the the passion, creativity and beauty that they put into a piece.  One reason original pieces of art of any form have a uniqueness to them is that they have their own 'energy' that is put into it by the artist, during production and through their intent to create an item of beauty.  A mass produced piece only has flat dimension of mass production, and is of no benefit other than "looking nice" versus "looking elegant and having a history."   Whether we choose to buy an original piece or a cheaply made knock off is a matter of taste and consumer choice in most cases.

The second major issue that is apparent is of branding.  Larger firms invest good sums of money to develop brand equity, and to make sure that the marketplace perceives there is brand differentiation where this can appropriately exist.  I'm not talking about phony baloney "making up" a brand difference, but pointing out through integrated public relations where these exist and what the benefits are to a customer. 

Then there are artists.  Who gives them a voice and way to educate the public in why their pieces cost more than the cheap knockoffs someone may find somewhere else, sold by the insipidly inartistically uninspired?  Enter Artesanias D'Mexico.  When you speak with Elimar Loza, you find a woman who passionately speaks about the artisans, the pieces of art in their beautiful store, and a person who respects the work of the artists who fill their store with a wide variety of hand made, original works. 

An example of the uniqueness of their pottery items, for example, can be found in the information Elimar provided for us regarding Talavera Pottery. 

Talavera Pottery

Talavera is the term used to describe faithful reproductions of the pottery that is made in the Spanish village of Talvera de la Reina.  This style of pottery dates back to the 16th century colonial era.  It was eagerly adopted by Mexican artisans who added their own designs and colors in an ageless pattern representing the mixture of two cultures.  The techniques involved have been carried on by generations of old potter families.  By examining the process of these we can better understand the mastery involved of these artists. 

Two types of clay are blended and left to soak in water in order to improved their blended quality and malleability.  The potter then drains away the water and walks on the clay to give it better uniformity and consistency.  He then produces different pieces on a potter’s wheel (or in olds), and lets them dry for approximately 8-12 days.  Then they are baked in an oven at 850° C (1562° F).  After the first firing, a white varnish is applied, which gives the pieces their characteristic enameled appearance.  The pottery is then decorated using colors prepared with mineral pigments.  Afterwards these pieces are again fired in the oven for about 12 hours.  The potter is required to imagine what the final colors will look like before the process is completed, because only after the intense heat of the second baking (1050°C (1922°F),  will the colors and tones be revealed to the artists. 

Artesanias D'Mexico also carries Papel Picado, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) items, Black Pottery from Oaxaca, Copper Pottery, Alebrijes, and many other items, including  jewelry.  Artesanias D'Mexico is located in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood on the South Side, on 18th Street near Ashland Avenue, and is easily accessible from the CTA Pink Line 18th Street stop.  Phone Number:  312/563-9779

For more information on Artesanias D'Mexico, take a look at the Tamale Chica Chronicales Blog (another happy customer) where there are items from her personal collection shown.

T-Mobile Service or Save OUR SMS

For years I had been a Cingular customer, even before they were Cingular (when they were called Cell One).  Over ten or so years of service I became increasingly unhappy with them.  Several years ago I finally got so disgusted that I changed service, something I usually don't do lightly. 

I switched to T-Mobile.  This also allowed me to enjoy being online at their many hotspots, and freed me from being 'stuck' in the office while needing to work.  Now, I-Pod in hand, I have other uses for my T-Mobile service as well, none of which is the focus of this blog.

I have a habit of wanting to keep a record of correspondences, whether they are emails or text messages.  Since I am a prolific texter, this has begun to present a problem, especially since my telephone, not my SIM card, stores text messages.  I use a Nokia phone.  I found this out the hard way after using a SIM card reader and finding only my phone book. 

Wanting a quicker way to get an answer, I emailed T-Mobile's tech support when I couldn't find an answer online on their site.  I should have just gone to the Nokia website, which is exactly what their tech support could have just said.  Instead, they were nice enough to suggest I go to the Nokia site to download PC Suite, where I could then backup and export my SMS text messages.  And yes, they also suggested that I refer to my Nokia User Manual, but not before they were customer service oriented enough to tell me what I needed.

Anyone with a Nokia phone who wants to save or export their SMS text messages can download PC Suite free.  Downloading it will also install the drivers needed to recognize your cable, if you choose to connect that way versus via Bluetooth.  The OEM cable I originally bought did not work - my Nokia phone would not recognize it, and when I received my Nokia cable I immediately saw why (the pin connectors).

In conclusion, I've called T-Mobile many times, and except for once, I have never been dissatisfied or disappointed with the quality of help that I received.  I can't say that for ANY other telecommunications company I've dealt with, and there have been many.  Thanks, T-Mobile!