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Liberty,
I could be missing something, but I'm just not getting a "leftist" vibe from Ikea or any other business that attempts to reduce trash as a part of it's PR. (I'm not following the whole wall-between-the-store-and-the-parking-lot thing; I'll admit that I have no clue why they would do something so silly.)

I guess it's just a matter of opinion, but I don't really consider carrying reusable bags to be an inconvenience. I don't consider parking at the far end of a parking lot to be inconvenient either. (I did when Mars was in a wheelchair, but that's a different matter that was solved by a handicap parking placard.)

Making small changes in your lifestyle to keep your environment a bit cleaner will not turn you into a tree-hugging leftist greenie that can't hold down a job. I've been using the reusable bags for shopping for six months, and I started recycling when I moved into my current home. I spend more time reloading ammo in one session than I would spend separating my trash in several months, and it doesn't even require that I pay much attention to what I'm doing. (Paper & cardboard bin to the right, metal and plastics bin to the left.) As an added bonus, Mars and I rarely fill our kitchen trash can. (I'm spending a lot less on Hefty and Glad bags now.) A person with enough intelligence to load a magazine will find recycling to be a cake walk.
Did you know that reloading is also environmentally friendly? Yep, you're reusing those shell casings that could have otherwise gone in the trash. (I'm guessing that reloaders were the original recyclers. )

There are certain things that I haven't changed, because these things just don't work for our family (and that's the key). We each drive a gas-guzzling vehicle. Mars's job requires the use of a truck, and my vehicle is paid off and still runs well.

You may not agree with the Earth people, but they do have a point with the reusable bags and recycling. Do you really want to live around a bunch of garbage?

The last time I was there, I left my purchase at the front with two employees, pulled my truck up front, and asked the two employees to help me load it all. They politely helped, and I was on my way home with my boxed-up furniture.

As for the bags, is that really such a big deal? Do you need extra plastic bags? I've been using reusable grocery bags for about six months or so. I STILL seem to have an abundance of plastic bags (thanks mostly to Mars who just can't wrap his head around the whole going green concept).

When you go to Ikea, just bring your own bag. It's not that hard.

I've got to stick up for Ikea. Mars absolutely hates the place, but I'm not convinced it's so bad.

Before I started teaching kids from the house, I had to buy a table & chairs for the office. Ikea had the perfect set-up for me. An expandable table was $200. The surface area doubles with very little effort. The surface is easy to write on for younglings just learning to form letters--a necessity for children with dyslexia or dysgraphia. And I've had this table for over a year now and it still looks brand new, inspite of the rather energetic characters that make use of it.

The chairs were a whole $20 each. The Ikea salesman advised against them, as they're made of a soft wood. I decided that I could afford to replace them if they were only $20 apiece. (I would spend more gas to make the trip.) Oddly, they have very few nicks, despite the boys rocking on them. (Yes, I correct them, but I do take bathroom breaks, and there's no telling what they do when I'm out of the room.)

I'll go back to Ikea when I need more stuff. I realize it's probably "cheap" stuff, but I won't have to cry over it if it gets accidentally ruined.