Fewer plastic bags used

[kiltoncomp]

just been reading a news item on Yahoo, in which it was stated that super markets had almost halved their plastic bag usage,
quoted figures of 346 million fewer bags were used than in previous years,
going from 718million in may 2006 to 372 million in may 2009,

the article lists dangers to wildlife, including marine animals such as turtles etc, that mistake the bags for jellyfish with disastrous results

we reuse ours several times with the weekly supermarket shop and they get their final use as dog poo bags,

they are halfway there, lets hope they can reduce it to zero

Brian.

[Wild-Woman]

Good news, but I'll be happy when they're completely out of use. I can't understand why the supermarkets don't just put up a notice saying that on a particular date, plastic bags will not be given out. End of.
People would so get used to it and remember to take their own sturdy bags....like we used to years ago.

[kiltoncomp]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Good news, but I'll be happy when they're completely out of use. I can't understand why the supermarkets don't just put up a notice saying that on a particular date, plastic bags will not be given out. End of.
People would so get used to it and remember to take their own sturdy bags....like we used to years ago.

we are seeing more people using their own bags and reusing the plastic bags more than once, but most people are totally indifferent to any need to do so,
judging by the amount caught up in fences / hedging etc, most people dont even bother to dispose of them in a "responsible" manner
i think you are absolutely right when you say its up to the supermarkets to stop using them, full stop.

Brian.

[Wild-Woman]

I would like to see more of a campaign marketed by the media showing just what a plastic bag can do to wildlife. Joe Public still needs to be made more aware of the damage they do. Or even something compulsory written on a plastic bag like the 'can suffocate' saying that the bag will take hundreds of years to rot and just how many years landfill we have left (which I think in Kent has been estimated as 11!!).

[Hedera]

Our Co-op has been making degradable bags for some time: they just break up into little flakes after 18 months or so. made from corn husks I believe.
They now give away Fair Trade cotton shopping bags which hold a lot. and roll up into your pocket so you can't forget to take one with you!

[Mike Jackson]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

I would like to see more of a campaign marketed by the media showing just what a plastic bag can do to wildlife. Joe Public still needs to be made more aware of the damage they do. Or even something compulsory written on a plastic bag like the 'can suffocate' saying that the bag will take hundreds of years to rot and just how many years landfill we have left (which I think in Kent has been estimated as 11!!).

I don't think that will make a blind bit of difference to a lot of people. If they can't even be bothered to take their rubbish home after a picnic what hope have you got in alerting them to any environmental dangers.

[Graham Barker]

hi
i dont see what the problem is...supermarkets have the power....if they are using it to cut the plastic bag giveaway by 50% i think they have the power to stop it completely....i agree....they should state a date, this year...and just stop....talking of which...i think its about time plastic recycling was controlled a bit better by the supermarkets....where i live we can recycle 1,2 and 3...but other ares recycle 4, 5 and 6 (number in the triangle)...and other plastic isnt recyclable...surely supermarkets can force their suppliers to supply in one type of plastic so it can all be recycled...and surely the givernment should make it law that all plastic is made recyclable in one group of numbers across the uk then we could all recycle everything....its not rocket science...is it?

[poohbear]

Just been to Tesco express where the hypocrites are spouting off about how they have reduced pollution by reducing their use of plastic bags... thereby the great God Tesco is helping save the planet...they say.

I passed my own bag over the counter where the 10 year old assistant with eyebrow piercings put in my few groceries (I try not to use supermarkets preferring the street markets myself) on top of these he dropped a leaflet.

On getting home I found that this was offering free air miles with extra loyalty points...Oh goody...saving the planet by not using plastic bags...but being encouraged to fly hither and thither bombarding the planet with filth.

[Wild-Woman]

You'd think by now,supermarkets would have a 'greening' executive on their board that would oversee every aspect of their company's policy and reduction of their carbon footprint. Getting rid of the plastic bags would certainly make difference to their footprint and determine where I'd shop!

[Dutchess]

I think Tesco carrier bags are bio-degradeable, and have been for some time. As Hedera said, they disintegrate after a few months/weeks. I found this out after stashing some away in the shed once as spares and promptly forgot about them! Snowstorm in July?

In France they stopped dishing out carrier bags in the major supermarkets a few years back. It seems to work alright enough! It's about time we followed their example

D.