I encountered my first major hurdle with asking for no bag at my local Office Depot.  I told the cashier I didn't need a bag (it was for just one item... an item with a handle, no less), and she insisted on bagging it.  Regretfully, I am far too shy to raise cain in a store, so wrote to customer service to try to figure out the source of this bagging policy.  This was the response I received from Office Depot:

>>It is actually company policy to secure anything that fits in a bag, to be placed in a bag.  However, if there is a customer, such as yourself, with concerns of the environment, we can place a sticker showing the purchase as well.  I also have concerns for the environment, and when I received your concerns from customer service, this seemed like an easy fix to me.   As I said previously, all my cashiers are aware of the policy and if you don't require a bag they will not "force" one upon you.<<

Now, if they would just rethink the bagging policy for customers who are clueless about asking for a sticker.  I appreciate that they are pro-recycling in the store and sell many recycled products, but all that is futile if they are creating so much waste with semi-mandatory bagging. 

I thought I should share, so that others would know about the secret knock (asking for a sticker).