MARSH shops are set to become plastic bag-free.
Seventeen of the districts independent shops and retailers are handing out cornstarch biodegradable bags to customers.
It is part of a scheme aimed at reducing the number of plastic and non-recyclable bags given to shoppers.
The Cafe Leon is one of the retailers taking part in the scheme.
Cafe owner Rachel Berry said: “We do have quite a few shoppers coming in with their own carrier bags already.
“People are becoming more aware of the need to recycle them so when I do offer them a carrier bag a lot of people are saying no.
“Since we have been giving away the cornstarch bags, I think people have been surprised how like a normal carrier bag they are.
“Hopefully we will get some more and keep using them.”
Bagfree Marsh is an environment group working in conjunction with the Marsh Forum.
The campaign group is encouraging local shopkeepers to use cornstarch bags.
The environmentally-friendly bags are being offered to shoppers as an alternative to plastic bags. They can be re-used and are fully compostable.
Green campaigner Kate Armstrong said: “We are trying to give Marsh traders the opportunity to offer biodegradable bags as an alternative to plastic bags.
“Shopkeepers have been extremely positive about the scheme.
“I think it will be public pressure that will, in the end, bring about change and encourage the high street chain shops to follow the local, independent traders.”
The scheme has the support of Kirklees Council. The cornstarch bags were provided by Biopac.
Steven Leigh, senior policy adviser for the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, is also backing the move.
He said: “We support the initiatives which will help to protect the environment and we welcome the campaign to encourage traders in Marsh to offer biodegradable, fully compostable bags.
“This is an initiative fully in line with government thinking and the Prime Minister has recently given his support to the efforts being made to drastically reduce the usage of plastic bags throughout Great Britain.”
Shops taking part in the scheme are All About Flowers, The Samaritans, Medicare Chemist, Homecare, Patricia’s Fashions, Heavenly Bodies, Marsh Post Office, Big Baps, Natural Choice, Cafe Leon, Don’t Forget, Food 4 U, CW Peach Chemist, AC and S Whitehead, Costcutters, Tiffany Park and Style Tec.

WILF’ Lunn – local lad, inventor, tv presenter  and childhood hero, supports the ban the plastic bag campaign in Huddersfield and is also anti-chewing gum. I couldnt agree more – its filthy stuff. For more on WILF’ and chewing gum visit his website http://www.wilflunn.com

THE plastic bag may have had its day in Huddersfield.

An all-out campaign to get rid of the bags will be launched in the town next weekend.

Councillors and retailers are uniting to try to get rid of the bags which are a major cause of long-term pollution.

They want to encourage shoppers to use paper or textile bags instead and will launch their campaign at the Farmers’ Market next Sunday.

Huddersfield would become the biggest town in the country to go bag-free if the campaign takes off.

Peters, NEXT, Beaverbrooks and retailers in the Kingsgate Centre are supporting the scheme.

Kirklees Council decided to work towards becoming a plastic bag-free authority in December 2007

Huddersfield South Area Committee took up the challenge to establish a local campaign

A number of towns up and down the country have declared themselves plastic bag free areas, such as Hebden Bridge, Modbury, Devon, Hay-on-Wye and recently Selkirk, Scotland

Residents in Meltham have already started a project to rid their area of plastic bags

The main aim of the campaign is to encourage residents to adopt the habit of using their own shopping bags, such as organic bags that can be reused and recycled, and are readily available in town centre stores.

On average we use each plastic bag for approximately 12 minutes before disposing of it. It can then last in the environment for centuries.

They cause global environmental damage and kill vast numbers of marine life, even in far-off places.

Most plastic bags do not biodegrade, they photodegrade, breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic pieces that contaminate soil, waterways, oceans and entering the food chain when ingested by animals

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 Knit a bag http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/cr_needle_arts/article/0,2025,DIY_13768_3059465,00.html
 

Or a 1950s dress

http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2007/08/plastic_bag_crafts.html

- or some sandals

http://www.pieandcoffee.org/2005/11/17/how-to-knit-a-plastic-bag/

The groups aim is not to replace plastic bags with another form of disposable bag, the best bag of all is the reusable bag… but … there are times when a bag is needed and shops will want to offer one. Shoppers on the other hand are becoming increasingly unhappy with plastic bags. So in addition to the free plastic bag they want to encourage traders to offer biodegradable, fully compostable bags

Cornstarch bags are more expensive than the generic flimsy style plastic bags so traders may have to sell them rather than give them away. However the group feels that the kind of consumer who would want such a service would be prepared to pay a little for a much greener option. It is a way of raising public awareness and hopefully stimulating a market for compostable alternatives.As small businesses understandably may not want to take that risk Bagfree did a bit of begging and thanks to Kirklees Council and Biopac they secured a number of biodegradable bags for free.

Having got some bags they then contacted traders. Response was so positive that the project had to be phased limited as it was by the number of bags begged.

Shops participating in phase one are

ALL ABOUT FLOWERS
THE SAMARITANS
MEDICARE CHEMIST
PATRICIA’S FASHIONS
MARSH POST OFFICE
BIG BAPS
NATURAL CHOICE
CAFE LEON
DON’T FORGET
FOOD 4 U
C.W. PEACH CHEMIST LTD
S WHITEHEAD
COST CUTTERS
TIFFANY PARK
STYLE TEC

In the meantime Bagfree are doing some more begging and hope to secure some more free bags to include more shops in the project. They also hope that the chain stores will want to join the project.

the scheme is supported by the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce. Steven Leigh Senior Policy Adviser write that the “MYCCI supports initiatives which will help to protect the environment, and we welcome your campaign to encourage traders in Marsh to offer biodegradable, fully compostable bags. This is an initiative which is fully in line with Government thinking, and the Prime Minister has recently given his support to the efforts being made to drastically reduce the usage of plastic bags throughout Great Britain.”

A HOLMFIRTH shopkeeper has vowed to cut down on the number of plastic bags used in his shop.

Onkar Sanghera has installed a plastic bag recycling bin in his Londis shop to encourage his customers to go green.

And the idea has already proven to be a success, with most of his shoppers dipping into the recycling bin rather than taking a new bag.

Mr Sanghera and wife, Narinder, came up with the idea last year and have seen it take off ever since.

“We really are trying to make a difference,’’ said Mr Sanghera.

“The Government is saying they want shops to do something about the use of plastic bags. Well, we are doing something and it is working.

 For the full article go to http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshire-news/2008/03/21/shop-urges-customers-to-return-plastic-bags-86081-20654550/

follow the link

http://www.gopetition.com/online/15845.html

bags in branches

Originally uploaded by kamizi

The Colne Valley – a river some playing fields and a nightmare of washed up plastic bags and bottles

Green sea Turtle, Indian Ocean.

Originally uploaded by plasticbagpics

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