Slightly off our area of plastic bags, but nonetheless, interesting. From the Marine Conservancy the story of a swift who narrowly escaped death when caught up in a charity balloon race.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS9ZMXPgsEc
Be warned there is one little rude word, but it’s very quick and you’ll hardly notice it!!
Well, the news is good if not perfect.
To quote Channel4 news: “Leading supermarkets and the government narrowly miss a target to reduce carrier bag use as figures published today show a 48 per cent drop.”
They are giving the supermarkets credit but I’m not so sure that is the right place to offer congratulation. I think it is more likely due the great British public say “No, thank you” when offered a plastic bag.
So a pat on the back to all our readers and keep up the good work:>)
It’s good to see that The Guardian are making suggestions for preventing plastic bags reaching landfill. Knit yourself this year’s fashion (or trashion) and make a clutch! Full instruction provided here!
This is the headline of an article in The Independent today:
Shops gave out 3.5 billion fewer plastic bags last year under a voluntary scheme which has, for now, headed off the threat of a government ban on free carrier bags. Figures from Wrap, the Government’s anti-waste body, show that the number of plastic bags dispensed fell from 13.4 billion in 2007 to 9.9 billion last year, a drop of 26 per cent.
Wrap said that when taking into account increased recycled content in the bags, the use of virgin materials in the bags had been slashed by 40 per cent, well above the 25 per cent target set in 2007. Supermarkets have now agreed a target of reducing the number of bags by 50 per cent – from 2006 levels – by May. But the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), while welcoming the new figures, warned that it would retain the option of introducing a charge for bags if stores failed to honour their commitments.
Martin Hickman, Consumer Affairs Correspondent
This is a great little video on You Tube, that makes you think………
May I suggest you watch this Australian report:
http://sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=598914
It’s like a 12 minute version of Message in the Waves, and well worth watching.
Also please pass it onto anyone who thinks that the issue of plastic bags and plastic waste generally doesn’t affect them!
I say ‘No!’
A report in the BBC today carries this heading and focuses on the fact that plastic bags make up only a small part of the mis-use of our oil reserves.
Whilst this is true, I disagree this sentiment.
Like a flag being run up a very high pole, the movement is making a lot of people think about plastic in general: it’s use and mis-use; non-essential packaging; waste disposal. These are all vital issues in our new approach to living a sustainable lifestyle. One where we work with the planet and use our resources wisely, rather than one where we exploit all that is on offer and waste it.
If banning the single use plastic carrier bag makes people aware of these issues – which it most certainly has – then banning the bag is not a ‘diversion’. It is, in fact, a ‘herald’!
If anyone was sad to miss our showing of Rebecca Hosking’s film “Message in the Waves” there is another opportunity to see it.
The Wycombe Friends of the Earth group, who have taken on the plastic bag issues in High Wycombe, have sent an invitation:
Wednesday 30th April at 7.30pm at The Environment Centre, High Wycombe, HP11 1QX
Great news from Sainsbury’s.
They are really taking the PBF issue to heart now. We had a call from our Chesham supermarket to say that, this Saturday, they will be encouraging people to reuse bags instead of taking new plastic carriers.
Give them all the encouragement you can, folks :>)
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