I bet it bothers you, too. You get to the parking lot of your favorite store and find the perfect parking space, only to see it unusable due to an errant cart or two taking the space.
Annoying, to be sure, but this bugs me for an entirely different reason.
President Obama is not the only one who thinks that we're losing our civility, and though leaving your shopping cart in the middle of the lot at Kroger doesn't seem worth the bother compared to the much more vivid examples of the civic decline that surround us each day. For me, these carts are a small reminder of our narcissistic modern nature, where we seem far more interested in our personal convenience than in the collective good.
But, as I've blogged about before (and will again and again), there's not much good in communicating merely about a problem. I'd rather envision a solution.
Here's mine: Every time I go to the store, I try to put one to three carts back in the parking lot cart rack nearest me.
I don't clean up the entire lot. I don't take them up to the store. That seems to be the minimum wage job of high school age employees, and I'd hate to deny them that pizza money. I just move a cart or two out from between the cars (or in the space where I had hoped to park) and place them in the collection rack where they belong.
Not a world changing action, certainly. And not much sweat off my brow either.
But imagine if every one of us did it. Imagine if every one of us thought about the next person who would be parking in that space. Imagine if we thought enough about our community store, and what experience shopping there meant for our community -- and what is said about us as a community? I don't need to imagine it -- I love when there's a clean parking lot with an open space to pull into. I love when I can walk around a neighborhood at night (the only time in Southeast Texas half the year when it's cool enough to walk) and never think twice about my safety. I love buying something from someone who I can trust isn't trying to rip me off. You get the idea.
Start small. One cart -- the one closest to (but not in) the cart collection rack. If you have an extra moment, stretch a bit and go for two -- that one way out that stands mid-space. I'll be doing the same.
And remember -- this could be the start of a whole new community.
But, as I've blogged about before (and will again and again), there's not much good in communicating merely about a problem. I'd rather envision a solution.
Here's mine: Every time I go to the store, I try to put one to three carts back in the parking lot cart rack nearest me.
I don't clean up the entire lot. I don't take them up to the store. That seems to be the minimum wage job of high school age employees, and I'd hate to deny them that pizza money. I just move a cart or two out from between the cars (or in the space where I had hoped to park) and place them in the collection rack where they belong.
Not a world changing action, certainly. And not much sweat off my brow either.
But imagine if every one of us did it. Imagine if every one of us thought about the next person who would be parking in that space. Imagine if we thought enough about our community store, and what experience shopping there meant for our community -- and what is said about us as a community? I don't need to imagine it -- I love when there's a clean parking lot with an open space to pull into. I love when I can walk around a neighborhood at night (the only time in Southeast Texas half the year when it's cool enough to walk) and never think twice about my safety. I love buying something from someone who I can trust isn't trying to rip me off. You get the idea.
Start small. One cart -- the one closest to (but not in) the cart collection rack. If you have an extra moment, stretch a bit and go for two -- that one way out that stands mid-space. I'll be doing the same.
And remember -- this could be the start of a whole new community.
I'm with you Tom. This is an excellent practice and since I like to park further out and walk for some added exercise this is quite doable. I make it a practice to put my own cart up and appreciate the nudge to do one or two more while I'm at it. Who knows, maybe you've started a whole new trend here!
ReplyDeleteI was pretty amazed the last time I went to Wal-Mart (where this is epidemic) -- I think it's catching on, as there were far fewer carts out of place!
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ReplyDeleteSort of ironic that you're so interested in shopping carts left in the parking lot of Wal-Mart. Any chance shopping at Wal-Mart represents an even great degree of narcissism? The, "I don't care where it's made, or who made it, or how the workers were treated as long as it's cheap for me" mentality of so many Americans. If you really want to bring change in your community maybe you could consider buying locally and not supporting a multi-billion dollar corporation that actively exploits workers at home and abroad. If you REALLY want change maybe you could ride a bike, walk, or take the bus instead of just being another car crowding into the parking lot of a big box store.
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