Picture this. An adorable little girl is sitting in the top of a Target shopping cart while her mother does her normal weekly grocery shopping. While mom is busy looking for the pasta that’s on sale, the little girl is doing what all little children do—picking her nose, sneezing, coughing(it is flu season, after all) and, of course, being “Mommy’s Little Helper”, grabbing onto the cart’s handle to help mommy maneuver the cart through the tight aisles. Cute, right? Not so much. While the little girl’s soaring imagination is helpful in making the time at the grocery store less boring, it is no match against the germs that are being transferred between the girl and the shopping cart.
Only a few hours later, the same cart is picked out of the stack by a woman who has just exited the restroom-- without washing her hands. She grabs the handle of the cart and starts heading towards the purses when the café catches her eye. She makes her way over to the counter, hands the cashier a dollar bill (which has been touched by an innumerable amount of people), and takes a bite of her warm, salted pretzel, all while still pushing around her big red cart. Sounds delicious, right? Not when you start to think about the number of germs accumulating on both this woman’s hands and the cart as well, just waiting to be used again.
To help cut down on the spread of germs, Target has installed a station for distributing disinfectant wipes that can be used to sterilize the handles of their shopping cart. This is an excellent idea, and it would be interesting to see if it actually is effective in hindering the spread of disease. Still, however great the idea and concept, most Target shoppers grab a cart and speed past the station with no more than a second glance. Target has chosen to give their customers the opportunity to improve and safeguard their health but now its up to the individuals to take advantage of this opportunity. All in all, it’s up to both the businesses and individuals in the community to take the simple steps to help prevent the spread of diseases. This is Public Health.
I used to work for target and when I worked there they were just starting to put in wipes and hand sanitizers. I really appreciated it as an employee because washing hands only goes so far to prevent germs if other individuals are not working to prevent germs as well. Colds spread so fast so I wish more stores would put in hand sanitizers and wipes at the entrance to promote public health. Target prides itself for selling organic products and being in the community, so I feel this is just another way they show it.
ReplyDeleteNow-a-days,I never use a cart without wiping it down first. When you think about all of the things that we mentioned in the post, it's disgusting to think that this in a recent addition to most stores. As a note to add to the blog, you should also wipe down the kiddie seat because kids sit there with their dipers and what not and who knows where their bum has been!
ReplyDeleteI love the topic that you guys picked because every time I walk into Target, I see the wipes and hand sanitizer. I think it is great what Target is doing and I believe every store should follow Targets example. The sad part is that not everyone takes the time to wipe down the shopping carts. I have wiped down a cart before out of curiosity and it is disgusting how much dirt you actually see come off the cart. It goes to show you just because you can't see the dirt doesn't mean that it isn't there.
ReplyDeleteIt is great that you chose this topic. I feel like people take it for granted. Even though we all know we should wash hands, nobody really talks about it anymore and people might forget that this is so important. I know there are signs for employees, but what about the rest of us? By placing this sticker in the bathroom, other people will actually notice it. I think people need to see more signs and commercials about washing hands, because the percentage of people who actually do it is way too low.
ReplyDeleteWow this is so true, I have never though of that. Usually if i'm too far from the wipers, i don't go back. Well I'm definitely going back now, eww, all those germs on my had. Pretty cool that Target does that.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a great example of public health. It is terrific that Target provides wipes for free but maybe they should put up a sign that tells how important it is. I see a majority of people pass the sanitary wipes than use them. However, it is great for the people who use them! It also helps the Target Company portray itself as a clean and healthy environment.
ReplyDeleteI shop at target all the time, and somehow I have never noticed the wipes until reading this blog, now when I think back I always saw them but didn't realize what they were there for... Now that I know what they are there for, and since you guys have been so kind as to point out what kind of germs may be on them, I am going to use them every time I shop there!
ReplyDeleteTarget is doing a lot for the public health and the environment considering they also give you a discount if you use reuseable bags. A lot of people don't think about how contaminated things like shopping carts are. Everyone puts a lot of time and effort into making bathrooms clean, but people don't usually think about things like shopping carts being covered in germs. It's really great that Target has cart wipes.
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