tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35879690283139056532011-11-01T03:15:36.804-07:00A compilation of news about campaigns around the world to eliminate single use plastic bags. What's the simplest thing you can you do to save a sea turtle, stop the need for oil wars, preserve a river, protect our children's future? Bring a reusable bag to the store!Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.comBlogger1661100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-14115742087755334142007-06-25T08:05:00.000-07:002007-06-25T08:24:51.592-07:00

Greetings. I've had to take a hiatus from this blog due to a lot of demanding projects. I'm not sure how often I will be able to post for the next 6 months but I'll try to find something interesting at least once a month. The war against plastic bags has gotten to a whole new level in the last year and I just can't keep up with all the articles and activity. But this is a good thing!Here's

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-72799213594939501932007-05-01T20:50:00.000-07:002007-05-01T21:01:01.568-07:00

Sounds like LA needs to beef up it's ability to compost food waste collection, in order to handle the type of compostable plastic bags that San Franscisco is now using:April 10, 2007Compostable bags no solution for L.A. areaThe county and city lack the infrastructure to copy S.F.'s answer to plastic-sack pollutionBy Charles Proctor, LA Times, Los Angeles, CASan Francisco's landmark ban on common

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-32288810020934686932007-05-01T20:21:00.000-07:002007-05-01T20:35:08.004-07:00

Had to include this one, it's about a plastic bag education campaign by Roman Jaster, a student at my alma mater:Apr 30, 2007CalArts Student Says No to Paper and PlasticBanned in San Francisco and likely on the way out in LA, too, plastic bags have truly become an enemy of the state, at least in California. But paper's no angel, either; the only real solution is to get people to start bringing

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-6721772048196736082007-04-29T08:24:00.000-07:002007-04-29T08:33:09.105-07:00

English town bans plastic bagsAP, London, UKA small town in southwest Britain is banning plastic bags in a bid to help the environment and cut waste — a move environmentalists believe is a first for Europe.Shopkeepers in Modbury, population 1,500, agreed to stop giving out disposable plastic bags to customers on Saturday. They said paper sacks and cloth carrier bags would be offered instead...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-84351572200488611752007-04-29T08:18:00.000-07:002007-04-29T08:23:31.927-07:00

This is a summary of what's going on in Canada these days:Apr 28 2007Age of plastic belongs in the past Mitch Wright, Nanaimo News Bulletin, Vancouver Island, CanadaPaper or plastic? How about neither!Few shoppers still choose the once-ubiquitous brown paper grocery bags, opting instead to save a tree or two by choosing their now even more prevalent plastic counterparts. But there’s a growing

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-65491880044924430622007-04-26T07:26:00.000-07:002007-04-26T07:46:24.448-07:00

This is an opinion piece from Ethiopia on the potential ban there. The writer makes some good points, namely that there needs to be a public education campaign to accompany any ban. But the piece quotes a New Scientist article that I have a big problem with (couldn't find the original link): "As greenhouse gas emission rise to the top of the environment agenda, plastic begins to look even better,

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-47296406001138676892007-04-26T07:17:00.000-07:002007-04-26T07:47:47.937-07:00

Time to go OFF autopilot here folks, if your goal is to actually make a difference that is. If it's more greenwash, then, I guess it makes sense:April 25, 2007Bags you win!Lynn Morris, Dorset Echo, UKSHOPPERS queued for hours to buy a designer shopping bag emblazoned with the words "I'm not a plastic bag". It was sold to them in - you guessed it - a plastic bag... Here's another link about the

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-85405213728643675412007-04-23T21:47:00.000-07:002007-04-23T21:54:50.977-07:00

I had to post this one, from the Feminist Mormon Housewives Blog. Wow, who knew there was such a thing? They look like a cool bunch of ladies actually:April 23, 2007Paper or Plastic? Neither pleasefMhLisa, Feminist Mormon HousewivesI’m sad to admit that my attempts at being eco-friendly are mostly a bit lame. I don’t shower in a pan, and reuse all my water ten times like some people. But I have

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-6023180422619630772007-04-23T21:30:00.000-07:002007-04-23T21:44:38.380-07:00

The label "Biodegradable" can be misleading. I must say that I am suspicious of anything ADM does. Even if they ARE plant based, these bags could create the same problems the much-touted ethanol "solution" will - using huge amounts of energy to farm the corn, plus the pesticide runoff and other pollution, and the insanity of using food to run cars or manufacture bags. We should be focusing on

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-76830356322605195602007-04-23T21:25:00.000-07:002007-04-23T21:28:13.600-07:00

Hey, maybe my hometown will jump on the bandwagon too!4/23/2007L.A. County Supervisors Considers Options to Combat Plastic Bag ProblemsRecycling Today MagazineOn April 10 the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors discussed the possible banning of plastic bags in the county. San Francisco recently passed legislation banning the bags, with New York State considering the move...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-61994827116411271582007-04-21T21:30:00.000-07:002007-04-21T21:37:00.622-07:00

The little Canadian town of Leaf Rapids beat San Francisco to be the first town in North America to ban plastic bags:Apr 2, 2007Tiny Canadian town enacts ban on plastic bagsBy Patricia Launt, Reuters, TorontoA small Canadian town claimed the honor on Monday of being the first municipality in North America to ban retailers from using plastic bags, in an effort to maintain its pristine environment.

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-53594160944699841812007-04-21T21:16:00.000-07:002007-04-21T21:28:14.412-07:00

April 21, 2007Assemblyman: It’s time to bag the plastic Gary Buiso, Courier Life, Brooklyn, NYAssemblymember William Colton recently introduced a bill seeking to ban plastic grocery bags from large supermarkets statewide...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-21829402332722505022007-04-19T16:41:00.000-07:002007-04-19T16:53:42.747-07:00

Elizabeth Royte, author of the newly published Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash makes some excellent points here - recycling the bags desn't really "close the loop"; feel-good, green-washed activities are not enough; and corporate profits are still trumping real change:April 18, 2007Why The Bag Backlash? Elizabeth Royte, The Huffington PostWhen I was asked to speak at something called

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-2606822880453905722007-04-19T16:37:00.000-07:002007-04-19T16:40:23.888-07:00

It's so exciting how other cities have been inspired by San Francisco's bold move:Non-biodegradable plastic bags could be banned in Santa CruzThe Associated PressSANTA CRUZ, Calif.- Plastic bags may soon be banned in Santa Cruz.Taking a cue from neighboring San Francisco, the city is considering a ban on non-biodegradable plastic bags used by supermarkets and other retailers. The petroleum-based

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-70939667824987696642007-04-18T23:00:00.000-07:002007-04-18T23:04:08.448-07:00

Storeowner says ban will save him money:April 18, 2007Fewer grocery bags would mean big savings: storeowner SHERRY MARTELL The News, Nova Scotia, CanadaA North Shore grocer wants more people to shop with reusable, environmentally friendly bags.Mike Belliveau, owner of Mike’s Foodland in Tatamagouche, said reducing disposable bag use would benefit both businesses and the environment.“We have a

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-48400412774372181682007-04-18T22:56:00.000-07:002007-04-18T22:58:55.488-07:00

Berkeley may soon follow it's neighbor San Francisco:April 18, 2007Berkeley considers banning plastic grocery bagsBy Kristin Bender, Oakland Tribune, Oakland, CABERKELEY — The question "paper or plastic?" may soon be a thing of the past in Berkeley.The city that was the first in the state to ban Styrofoam coffee cups and takeout containers in businesses and the first in the nation to convert its

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-26234747652925492442007-04-18T22:54:00.000-07:002007-04-18T22:55:44.086-07:00

April 19, 2007Sainbury's bans plastic carrier bags for a dayDavid Adam, environment correspondent The Guardian, UKThe supermarket giant Sainsbury's is to ban disposable plastic carrier bags - for a single day. Shoppers passing through the checkouts on Friday next week will instead be given 10p reusable bags for free, a move that Sainsbury's called a "revolution in supermarket shopping"...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-69315211730323609812007-04-18T22:42:00.000-07:002007-04-18T22:52:43.768-07:00

I didn't get to post on this important vote last month because my blog was down. SF rocks!March 27, 2007SF supes vote to ban plastic bags in storesSan Francisco's Board of Supervisors voted 10-1 this afternoon to make the city the first in the nation to prohibit petroleum-based plastic checkout bags in large markets and pharmacies...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-22852045288253196642007-04-18T22:35:00.000-07:002007-04-18T22:41:56.140-07:00

Rochester NY may follow San Frnacisco's lead in banning the bag:March 30, 2007State Senator Wants Plastic Bag BanWHAM.com Channel 13, Rochester, NYState Senator Jim Alesi (R-Perinton) is drafting a bill that would make drug and grocery stores cut their non-biodegradable plastic bag use in half by the end of 2010 and stop using them altogether by the end of 2012...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-37151201719400046162007-04-18T22:31:00.000-07:002007-04-18T22:34:15.422-07:00

This Japanese artist living in NYC makes interesting work from plastic trash - both bags and bottles:Miwa KoizumiSince I moved to NY four years ago, I have started to see garbage as small creatures. Everywhere I go they are waiting for me. I pass by and they want to talk with me.I think this is based on an Asian mentality. ( also I use a lot of ephemeral materials to make a meaning for nothing)

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-61002092046061631422007-04-17T17:52:00.000-07:002007-04-17T18:01:19.948-07:00

HA! At last I have access to my blog again!It's been almost 2 months. Big apologies to my readers. I got caught in Blogger's switch to a new version. Suddenly I couldn't get on through the old or the new portal, or whatever it's called.Here's a sweet little ditty from my friends The Ditty Bops calledPaper or Plastic - the musicalPlease sign their Plastic Reduction Petition and help stop the

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-87445511214444892492007-02-23T19:19:00.000-08:002007-02-23T19:24:33.991-08:00

Rather chilling quote from an artist using plastic bags as a medium - he found a marked similarity between human beings and plastic - “Both are disposable in one hand and immortal on the other.”Sculptures show opens at Rohtas GalleryDaily Times, Lahore, PakistanAn exhibition featuring images made from plastic bags began at the Rohtas Gallery here on Tuesday. The exhibition titled ‘I Love You’

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-55796490806434647552007-02-23T19:17:00.000-08:002007-02-23T19:19:05.044-08:00

No matter how hard we try, in the end we may be remembered for nothing more than the plastic bags we leave behind:Jan. 31, 2007What's your legacy?Comment is Free blog from the Guardian UnlimitedCycling along the Regent's Canal through east London at the weekend, the scene was delightful - well, semi-delightful. The coots and moorhens, present in number, were bobbing and diving, looking almost

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-8950595972137398152007-02-23T19:14:00.000-08:002007-02-23T19:17:02.296-08:00

From an American living in Korea, she remembers her grandparents' deeply ingrained habits of conservation and searches for ways to reduce her own waste "Living in Korea has helped shaped my awareness of my wastes in small ways; living here has helped point my mind towards waste rather than just convenience."January 31, 2007Habits of WasteBetween pee and kimchee blogWhen my grandmother stayed with

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-81693198518858263772007-02-23T19:10:00.000-08:002007-02-23T19:13:46.687-08:00

Judith Selby Lang is an artist with a big, beautiful vision. She is creating "ReCycle Ryoan-ji", a 20' x 48' replica of Ryoan-ji Garden in Kyoto made entirely out of recycled materials as part of the 2007 Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival. It will be presented in the San Francisco Civic Center Plaza. Check out her blog about the process of creating this installation.

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-61935201555069949792007-02-23T19:07:00.000-08:002007-02-23T19:10:21.813-08:00

Don't know where you would wear this...How to Make a Plastic Bag Bra

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-5521875409445762672007-02-23T19:04:00.000-08:002007-02-23T19:07:17.996-08:00

Inspired by the Toronto couple Sarah McGaughey and Kyle Glover, this writer is going for zero waste too:January 31, 2007Trying to achieve zero-waste goal is hard workKris Scheuer, Toronto Town Crier Newspapers, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaWhat if the city's garbage trucks pulled up to our houses and found all the trash cans empty? ...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-23366409557775897922007-02-20T09:08:00.000-08:002007-02-20T09:12:16.824-08:00

Designer reusables, if 150 £ is not too expensive for you, they sure are pretty:24 January 2007Getting it right....Style BubbleOk, I caused a bit of a palava with the Louis Vuitton laundry/market bagsthat has now prompted a wee trend of carrying the real deal on the streets(quite possibly the easiest and cheapest way to bring a catwalk item toreality)...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-47751607191448846882007-02-20T09:03:00.000-08:002007-02-20T09:06:37.688-08:00

24-Jan-07Virgin Megastores launches recyclable bagsMarketing WeekVirgin Megastores is introducing 100% recyclable carrier bags and haslaunched an in-store campaign encouraging customers to reuse existing bags. The company currently uses 16 million bags annually across its 120 stores but wants to cut its contribution to the 10,000 tonnes of plastic bags thrown away in the UK each year...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-36216416876871966272007-02-20T09:01:00.000-08:002007-02-20T09:03:05.736-08:00

Some first hand experience of using a fee per bag system, from a graduate student in Maryland:January 22, 2007Fun at Giant FoodsSo I'm back at school, and I went to the Giant to pick up some food, to get ready for living on my own again. A few things struck me...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-28693287962661334062007-02-20T08:43:00.000-08:002007-02-20T09:01:02.367-08:00

This sounds like a toxic mess and it doesn't say how much energy must be expended to get a liter of gasoline back out of the plastic bags, but at least it is moving toward closing the loop:Gasoline from old plastic bagsRussiaA litre of gasoline can be obtained from a kilogram of old plastic sachets by appying a technology being developed by the specialists of the D.I. Mendeleev Russian

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-75536702901647655752007-02-20T08:40:00.000-08:002007-02-20T08:42:53.457-08:00

24 January 2007Supermarkets told to come clean about packagingCahal Milmo and Andy McSmithPressure mounted yesterday on Britain's supermarkets and retailers to reduce packaging drastically as political support intensified for The Independent's anti-waste campaign. Sir Menzies Campbell, the Liberal Democrat leader, challenged leading stores to produce a detailed breakdown of how they contribute to

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-77692272557145474832007-02-20T08:38:00.000-08:002007-02-20T08:40:17.016-08:00

This opinion piece argues that a plastax won't work for business, consumers or the environment. I have to say, it makes a good point about the increase in plastic use in Ireland, where, despite the fewer lightweight bags used since the plastax, there has been an increase in heavier bag use which use more resin. I have doubts about some of his statistics, and he doesn't take into account the CO2

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-79467728078859468142007-02-20T08:34:00.000-08:002007-02-20T08:37:43.883-08:00

Nicely put:January 20, 2007BRAND LITTERGreen Dioxide blogWhat are Apple, Big Bazaar, Motorola, Pepsi, Kellogg and Pizza Hut in the business of? Selling, among other things, computers, groceries, cellphones, beverages and pizzas respectively. What are they not in the business of? Selling waste...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-31076264806318073222007-02-20T08:30:00.000-08:002007-02-20T08:34:17.978-08:00

Reusable bag company Spice Bags put this on their blog:Jan. 19, 2007IKEA Your consumer wants a resuable bag. Is she/he going to get it from you or from someone else? Spice Bags BlogIKEA announced it wouldn't give away free plastic bags and would charge fora sturdier reusable bag. How do you think their customers reacted? Here are some actual customer comments...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-57474764552640635662007-02-20T08:26:00.000-08:002007-02-20T08:30:00.697-08:00

1/20/07Official to pitch plastic bag banRob Rogers, Marin Independent Journal, Marin, CAHoping to stem the tide of a "plastic plague," Supervisor Charles McGlashansays he plans to propose a ban on plastic bags at grocery and drug stores inunincorporated Marin...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-33975101158831124542007-02-14T18:17:00.000-08:002007-02-14T18:20:15.026-08:00

Continued from last 2 posts. Editorial from the Examiner:Jan. 26, 2007Fighting our way out of plastic bags Plastic bags, ubiquitous plastic bags, unsightly plastic bags — everyone uses them and everyone has an opinion about them. It’s not surprising, then, that these symbols of consumerism have evolved into yet another political issue in The City, betokening the long if oversimplified war between

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-18462035964454690382007-02-14T18:13:00.000-08:002007-02-14T18:16:00.198-08:00

Continued from last post. Now they are trying a new approach:January 19, 2007City seeks to require compostable grocery bagsCharlie Goodyear, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, CASan Francisco officials said Thursday that they will pursue a new law requiring all grocery bags used in the city to be compostable after sparring with large supermarket chains over implementation of a voluntary

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-90005986297215113572007-02-14T17:47:00.000-08:002007-02-14T18:12:51.187-08:00

A plastic bag saga: San Francisco city officials vs. the big supermarkets:January 20, 20073 grocery chains give plastic-bags dataCharlie GoodyearThree supermarket chains that operate in San Francisco met a Friday deadline to provide statistics on the number of plastic bags handed out to shoppers last year, city officials said...January 24, 2007Bill introduced to punish grocers for bagsJoshua

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-5937693459194458222007-02-14T15:46:00.000-08:002007-02-14T16:04:04.802-08:00

This lady rocks! She is making 2007 a plastic free zone - not buying products that contain or are packaged in plastic. Sounds simple? What about toothpaste (the cap), toilet paper (wrapped in plastic), the morning paper (rainy day protection)... She's blogging about her adventures in the no-plastic zone:January 31, 2007Progress Report Plastic Free, Vancouver, CanadaI’ve finished my first month

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-52820501392857325842007-02-14T15:32:00.000-08:002007-02-14T15:45:31.212-08:00

These Chicago based artists are soliciting photos of your plastic bag collections. Before you crochet them into hammocks or wrap your leftovers with them (because your not going to throw them away right?!), take a picture and send it to these guys. They will do something interesting with it I'm sure:Feb. 1, 2007Temporary Services - We Still Need Your HelpFor the past few months we have been

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-63762747201718317022007-02-14T15:21:00.000-08:002007-02-14T15:25:50.041-08:00

A student at Swarthmore passes on a lesson from down under:Feb. 1, 2007Recycle bagsMarshall Morales, The Phoenix, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, USThroughout Australia and New Zealand, I noticed a simple and powerful change for green living. Environmental action groups have worked with supermarkets and other stores to charge for the normally free plastic bags used to carry purchases...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-77426409230691433762007-02-14T15:13:00.000-08:002007-02-14T15:20:15.195-08:00

Caroline Lewis, owner of The Good Food Shop, in York, has declared February "Plastic Bag Free Month":Feb. 1, 2007Owner claims bagging rightsThe Press, York, UKMORE than 100,000 tonnes of plastic bags are thrown away every year in the UK, taking up to 500 years to break down in landfill sites. That shocking statistic has inspired one York shop owner to take action...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-12048685996762729412007-02-14T15:06:00.000-08:002007-02-14T15:10:00.123-08:00

The crunchy mamas are getting the word out:Reusable Bags Tackle Plastic Bag MessVincent Cobb, O'Mama ReportIntroduced merely 25 years ago, plastic bags are accumulating in our environment at an alarming rate. They're everywhere: strewn along roadways, stuck in trees, and piled up beneath our kitchen sinks. New, eco-conscious businesses are helping battle this growing problem by raising awareness

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-66819531745033907292007-01-27T22:57:00.000-08:002007-01-27T23:28:30.571-08:00

January 22, 2007Polythene bags an imminent threat to environmentDaily Times, Islamabad, PakistanHanging from branches, flying in the air, stuck in corners and racing along vehicles, polythene bags can be seen everywhere nowadays. Thousands of plastic bags are thrown away everyday, which results in choked drains, bacterial germinations, water borne diseases and the spread of mosquitoes...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-41254228049457801492007-01-27T22:53:00.000-08:002007-01-27T22:56:38.357-08:00

January 18, 2007Should plastic bags be sacked?John Spears, Jim Byers, Toronto Star, TorontoToronto councillors appear split on the idea of banning plastic shopping bags as a way of cutting down on the city's garbage. But they're all in favour of having them recycled...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-1537597897354886982007-01-27T22:47:00.000-08:002007-01-27T22:52:50.949-08:00

January 18, 2007Deal to reduce plastic bag use hits the skidsCharlie Goodyear, San Francisco ChronicleLarge supermarket chains that agreed in 2005 to help reduce the number of plastic grocery bags in use in San Francisco have refused to release the number of bags they distributed last year, breaking a deal they made with the city...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-69430463585369274742007-01-27T22:39:00.000-08:002007-01-27T22:46:56.020-08:00

1/18/07Law would force retailers to recycle plastic bagsBlackwell Thomas, Bloomington Pantagraph, Bloomington, ILThe sight of a plastic bag dancing gently in the breeze might have provided inspiration for the Oscar winning movie “American Beauty,” but one lawmaker does not see any romance in the image.

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-10280148710022845052007-01-27T20:39:00.000-08:002007-01-27T20:42:55.304-08:00

An activist from Santa Cruz is working on promoting reusables - specifically those great little Chico Bags:1/18/07A New Year . . . .The Breeze from San Juan BlogI am taking on addressing disposable bags this year. I think there is an opportunity to create a conscious moment when we are offered that bag when we shop.

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-75616922648863884882007-01-27T20:32:00.000-08:002007-01-27T20:36:58.329-08:00

16 January 2007Government plays catch up on plastic bagsLarissa Waters, Queensland, AustraliaThe Greens welcomed today’s national release of a Regulatory Impact Statement on options to reduce plastic shopping bags, an issue which the Greens have been campaigning on for years.

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-4555788803272336842007-01-27T20:19:00.000-08:002007-01-27T20:32:09.429-08:00

I was struck by this photo from Somalia. This is a blog from an Italian woman working for an NGO in Somalia:January 16, 2007Somali Prayer Flags?Johanna Dellantonio Today, on my way to a local NGO, I noticed thousands of plastic bags caught up in a fence. Management of solid waste is a growing problem in Somaliland, and it is not the first time that my eyes catch pictures of colored plastic bags

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-52605679802393295302007-01-22T22:15:00.000-08:002007-01-22T22:21:55.356-08:00

I posted a story about this couple last week. They are endeavoring to live completely garbage-free in Toronto. This is their blog so you can follow their inspiring story directly:January 22nd, 2007Grey AreasNo More Garbage BlogWe’re in Montreal!!! Our hosts (friends) are doing so much to ensure that we can do no garbage at their house. It’s very sweet. I feel like the most difficult house guest

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-71386137310023658172007-01-22T22:07:00.000-08:002007-01-22T22:14:35.636-08:00

California Retailers are starting new recycling plastic bag programs, thanks to new law:January 14, 2007Recycling plastic bags will get easierBy David Goldstein, Ventura County Star, Ventura, CAThe paper vs. plastic debate gets a lot of attention because there are good points on each side. At grocery store checkout stands, shoppers have to make a split-second decision, and many wonder about

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-64438252566007934212007-01-22T21:58:00.000-08:002007-01-22T22:05:58.299-08:00

Skier Sheila Kealy writes from an athlete's point of view about personal actions, including various ways to limit waste:January 14, 2007Can your eating habits affect global warming? By Sheila Kealey, Sheila's Nutrition Digest, Ottowa, CanadaThe weather this winter has heightened our awareness about global warming. With little snow, compromised recreation and training, and the cancellation of many

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-63285860707755936452007-01-22T21:43:00.000-08:002007-01-22T21:50:21.793-08:00

January 13, 2007More Americanization of HondurasLa Gringa Blogicito, La Ceiba, HondurasI've written a lot about plastic bags in Honduras. I have never seen so many plastic bags anywhere in all my life.While plastic bags do take up less space in the landfill than most other kinds of containers, a whole lot of them end up in the streets, sewers, rivers and ocean instead...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-29651165361418153432007-01-22T21:37:00.000-08:002007-01-22T21:43:36.485-08:00

January 12, 2007Toronto councillor wants to eliminate plastic bagsJamie Pulfer, 680 All News Radio, Toronto, CanadaThe plastic grocery bag may soon soon be on Toronto's endangered list.Currently we use on average four bags a week in Ontario, which means that 2.5 billion bags end up in the trash every year...Jan 13, 2007Tax On Plastic Bags called for by City of Toronto CouncillorDigital Journal,

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-87599589879650263272007-01-22T21:31:00.000-08:002007-01-22T21:35:15.428-08:00

January 12, 2007City Councillor Calls For Tax On Plastic BagsCity News, Toronto, CanadaSome use them to tote their groceries, their lunch, or to line kitchen garbage bins and our dependence on plastic bags has prompted one city councillor to call for a levy on the disposable items...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-58909309613237516102007-01-22T21:24:00.000-08:002007-01-22T21:30:04.524-08:00

A Toronto blogger shares his story about quitting plastic bags:January 12, 2007City Waste: Papa's Got a Brand New BagKevin in City, Fresh Daily Blog, Toronto, CanadaThe Toronto Star is reporting today about the City's plan to divert 70% of household waste from the dump by 2010. According to the article, 2.5 billion plastic grocery bags are consumed in the province each year, at a rate of 4 bags

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-75660984490797806672007-01-22T21:16:00.000-08:002007-01-22T21:23:01.469-08:00

January 11, 2007Aeon to charge for shopping bagsJapan Today, TokyoAeon Co, a nationwide supermarket chain operator, plans to begin charging for plastic shopping bags at all of its outlets in the near future in a bid to contribute to environmental protection, company officials said Wednesday...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-52734114153763839482007-01-22T21:09:00.000-08:002007-01-22T21:12:41.057-08:00

January 10, 2007Grocery stores flaunt eco-styleBy Jenifer Gee, Amador Ledger Dispatch, Jackson CAWhile you may not see them on the arms of models strutting the runways in Paris, environmentally-friendly grocery bags are becoming more of a must-have accessory for eco-conscious county residents...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-64691537572440206082007-01-22T21:02:00.000-08:002007-01-22T21:08:56.186-08:00

‘Umtamo wabomake’ a Swaziland women's organisation that picks up plastic bags and other trash and recycles/sells it, has won some awards:Arrest those who litter says LutfoBy Cassandra Shaw, The Swazi Observer, Mbabane, SwazilandMINISTER of Enterprise and Employment Lutfo Dlamini has stated that there is a need for government to come up with a law that will ensure that anyone caught littering is

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-81112008693318468802007-01-22T20:50:00.000-08:002007-01-22T20:59:32.841-08:00

January 15, 2007 Beautifully Knitted Used Plastic BagsMaya of Saya blog, Antibes, FranceAs a person who's trying to act on what she believes in, I try to find a solution to this plastic problem by bringing my own shopping bag and saying NO to another plastic bag as often as I can. Also those plastic I had collected since I've been here (2yrs), I use and cut them up to make a bag by knitting them

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-29434023536184929942007-01-22T20:44:00.000-08:002007-01-22T20:46:46.307-08:00

This Australian has a different opinion about the possible ban:January 8th, 2007In defence of the plastic bagHeathG, Catallaxy blogToday I’d like to talk about my good friend the plastic shopping bag, or PSB. When it comes to achieving its designated purpose of providing a convenient and cheap means of carrying home one’s shopping, the PSB is a hands down winner. But the PSB’s usefulness doesn’t

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-47363625705242663012007-01-22T20:43:00.000-08:002007-01-22T20:44:35.058-08:00

8 Jan, 2007Drive against plastic bags results in seizuresTimes of India, Rajkot, India, RAJKOTAs part of its cleanliness and environment awareness drive, officials of the Rajkot Municipal Corporation seized 20 kg of prohibited polyethylene bags from four different vegetable markets of the city. The official also fined a hospital for dumping medical waste in a public dustbin. According to an RMC

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-13595889114509234522007-01-22T20:40:00.000-08:002007-01-22T20:43:00.668-08:00

January 08, 2007

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-36934456194799153852007-01-22T20:30:00.000-08:002007-01-22T20:40:20.162-08:00

This lady rocks!Jan 3, 2007Margaret's recycling is plastic fantasticDaniel Thomson, Newcastle Journal Live, Newcastle UKIt is not just the environment that benefits from recycling carrier bags. Great-grandmother Margaret Hann has come up with a host of imaginative uses for the everyday plastic bags most of us throw away after unpacking our shopping.The 92-year-old, of Blenheim Court, Windy Nook,

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-80155263589997793412007-01-22T20:23:00.000-08:002007-01-22T20:30:01.234-08:00

Jan 2, 2007well if The Thing says so… Quit your day job blogI made the decision this year to be a little more environmentally aware and do my part - which means NO plastic bags any more - I HAVE to remember to take our own bags in. Show your support by posting the image below on your own blog and saying that you agree with The Thing and you aren’t going to use plastic bags where ever possible!!!.

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-57336070813156073702007-01-22T20:19:00.000-08:002007-01-22T20:35:23.202-08:00

Jan. 2, 2007Taking Up the Battle By Amanda Hardy, Lagniappe, Mobile ALHeaps of paper, glass, plastic and aluminum in landfills reaching higher than the RSA tower, millions of Styrofoam take out containers forming one horrifying monster who haunts the earth for an entire millennia before it biodegrades: these are the images in the nightmares of environmental crusaders around the world. Many feel

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-43358280696730061532007-01-15T20:47:00.000-08:002007-01-15T21:32:47.852-08:00

Whip Up recommended this beautiful work. In a lovely twist, these sea creatures are crocheted of yarn made from plastic bags by artist Helle Jorgensen in Australia.

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-32990220262893210492007-01-15T20:40:00.000-08:002007-01-15T20:43:39.000-08:00

Ian Kiernan is calling for a total ban on plastic bags in Australia:1/9/07Ban all plastic bags Says Clean Up Australia ChairmanBorder Mail, Wodonga, Victoria, AustraliaTHE failure of a levy to curb use of plastic bags in Ireland confirms a complete ban is necessary, the founder of the Clean Up Australia movement says.Clean Up Australia chairman Ian Kiernan said yesterday that privately

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-3992811237239759532007-01-15T20:29:00.000-08:002007-01-15T20:39:23.700-08:00

“Plastic bags are the ecological bane of the world,” said John Gaylord, board member of Oregon's Audubon Society. The organization is recommending 14 ways for members to green up, and asking them to pledge:Jan. 15, 2007Corvallis Audubon Society goes greenTheresa Hogue, Gazette-Times, Corvallis, ORAn organization such as the Corvallis Audubon Society, which focuses on wandering the wilderness

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-53275111643010874832007-01-15T20:13:00.000-08:002007-01-22T20:37:09.078-08:00

This is really cool -- Viraj Senewiratne of Sri Lanka has invented a 100% bio-degradable starch wrapping material to replace the plastic bags now banned there. They decompose in 160 days:January 8, 2007Polythene ban: Viraj’s degradable substitute from ‘edible’ granulesSunday Times, Columbo, Sri LankaLunch sheets, sili-sili bags and grocery bags will be taboo in the New Year, under a ban on

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-23857157227400477372007-01-15T20:08:00.000-08:002007-01-15T20:12:56.289-08:00

The success of the Irish plastax is dimming. Bag use is back up:January 8, 2007Plastic bag levy failing Sunanda CreaghIRELAND'S levy on plastic bags, once heralded as a market solution to an environmental problem, has failed to curb the country's plastic addiction, prompting calls from Australian environment groups for a total ban here.The number of bags used in Ireland dropped to 85 million in a

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-60433023971380092202007-01-15T20:01:00.000-08:002007-01-15T20:07:40.206-08:00

Nice graphics "Beyond Lightbulbs" from Emme in Minnesota, Simple Living Blog. You can download them to use yourself.

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-26449714221994014482007-01-15T19:54:00.000-08:002007-01-15T20:00:38.907-08:00

This mom had a lot of trepidation about using her reusable bags at the grocery store but she overcame that and tells this story:January 05, 2007I Can Do It!Princess and the Pea blogThis week on our baby-steps journey through 2008 at IndieMom we've dedicated ourselves to taking our own bags shopping, something I've wanted to do for a long time but have never had the guts, so while I wasn't able to

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-66344114687736413352007-01-15T19:48:00.000-08:002007-01-15T19:52:30.780-08:00

January 06, 2007Saving Money and Saving the EnvironmentWAGblog, Pamela Spiro WagnerSay it costs the chemical companies $1-$2 to produce 500 grocery bags, which I hate to say but that may be all it takes. Still, think how many grocery bags a large store uses, at least millions a year. Multiply that by the number of stores there are that use plastic bags, Walmart and all such stores included, and

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-74830542650334695052007-01-15T19:44:00.000-08:002007-01-15T19:47:35.944-08:00

January 7, 2007Call to ban plastic bagsPeter WeekesCLEAN UP Australia wants a total ban on plastic shopping bags after a voluntary scheme among large retailers to reduce their use failed to meet targets. Chairman Ian Kiernan said retailers had agreed to reduce the use of plastic bags by 50 per cent but fell short of the target by 5 per cent last year...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-35751834548385387852007-01-15T19:38:00.000-08:002007-01-22T20:37:59.754-08:00

A Toronto couple is striving for an empty trash bin this year. One way they do it is to wash and reuse each plastic bag until it begins to deteriorate (which takes about three months):1/6/07Zero garbage? Can doDALE DUNCAN, Special to The Globe and Mail, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaSarah McGaughey loves to talk trash. While the rest of us try to go to the gym more often, her resolution for 2007 is to

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-70842105006686655102007-01-15T19:26:00.000-08:002007-01-15T19:36:09.539-08:00

Handmade in Sussex, England from recycled table cloths and ticking. Pretty idea, wouldn't be hard to make one yourself:1/4/07More Shopping BagsBonnie Alter, TreehuggerWe love carrier bags and regularly resolve to carry them around all the time so that we won’t have to resort to using nasty plastic bags at the supermarket. Here is yet another variation on the theme; this one made of vintage

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-81587442804638706902007-01-06T13:43:00.000-08:002007-01-06T13:53:12.560-08:00

This is GREAT! a short film about the problems with plastic bags, highlighting the beautiful reusable bags of Oneless.co.uk. I'm going to put this on my sidebar so it remains easy to find:PLASTIC PLANET: THE CURSE OF THE CARRIER BAGProduced, filmed and directed by Petica Watson, Edited by Anthony Alexander. The company is called Connected Pictures

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-18389830801696992872007-01-06T13:08:00.000-08:002007-01-06T13:17:29.682-08:00

Edie is an environmental business directory in the UK:1/4/07Waste & Recycling - Review of the Year 2006 Surrey, UKThe year saw the notion of producer responsibility pick up pace, as regulations designed to make manufacturers pay for the waste produced by their products began to bite...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-50739849084220572472007-01-06T13:03:00.000-08:002007-01-06T13:07:40.138-08:00

Even the US Army is cutting back on plastic bag use, though from a purely cost-cutting motive. According to this article, paper bag costs have increased 34 percent in the past three years, while plastic bag costs have risen 84 percent. Reusables are just an afterthought here:Dec. 21, 2006Choose paper over plastic bags at U.S. commissariesArmy News Service, Defense Commissary Agency, Fort Lee,

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-82968140971950962362007-01-06T12:54:00.000-08:002007-01-06T13:01:52.675-08:00

Planet Ark is an Australian environmental group. These are simple but effective ideas for distributer-based education:Tips for retailers to encourage the use of reusable bagsPlanet Ark, Sydney, Australia

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-29486079689393908312007-01-06T12:35:00.000-08:002007-01-06T12:48:44.806-08:00

In the late 1970s, this North Carolina inventor developed the high-density plastic grocery bag. He helped make it the ubiquitous plague it is today. He must have recognized the problems at some point, because after he retired, Gordon Dancy started Phoenix Recycling, dedicated to recycling many of the plastic bags used in grocery stores:Dec. 23, 2006Myrtle Beach tinkerer diesKelly Marshall Fuller,

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-48725548365187380212007-01-06T12:19:00.000-08:002007-01-06T12:35:45.894-08:00

Greece's citizens resisted a plastax in 2005, but they are dealing with some big trash problems now:12/23/06Trash piles up as recycling fails Kathimerini, Athens, GreeceThe amount of rubbish produced per person in Greece has increased 43 percent to 440 kilos per year since 1995 with packaging waste – from food and consumer items – adding to household garbage, experts said yesterday. Most of the

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-45879114246100111082007-01-06T12:13:00.000-08:002007-01-06T12:19:20.828-08:00

Nov. 9, 2006No More Plastic Bags - Action in Japan and ZanzibarThe Lazy Environmentalist blog, UKHaving long been a supporter of the highly successful 'plas tax' in Ireland (which has reduced plastic bag consumption by over 95%), and having written elsewhere at length on this issue, I was delighted to read yesterday not only of action in Japan, which comes hot on the heels of Zanzibar's decision

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-48320422701468148822007-01-06T12:07:00.000-08:002007-01-06T12:12:15.742-08:00

Reusable bags seem to be hanging on every chair back and doorknob at my house, but some people might not be so lucky. Californians Against Waste has a website full of helpful info, including this list of places to get reusable bags:How Do I Get a Reusable Bag?

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-5433799607566408752007-01-06T11:56:00.000-08:002007-01-06T12:07:09.200-08:00

New plastic bags (sili-silis) law kicks into effect in Sri Lanka. It ends with "it's time to pull out your old cane baskets or invest in some handy cloth bags the next time you go shopping":12/31/06Wish you a sili-sili-free New YearNadia Fazlulhaq, Sunday-Times, Columbo, Sri LankaGo to a supermarket today and you will, no doubt, come home with more than half a dozen sili-sili bags containing your

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-18187228187067156182007-01-06T11:51:00.000-08:002007-01-06T11:56:20.623-08:00

Several plastic waste related bills have become since Jan. 1, including AB 2449:12/31/2006New environmental laws taking effectThe Times-Standard, Eureka, CACalifornia residents will notice changes next year as a result of new laws that will affect plastic bag recycling programs to larger fines against illegal dumping on private property...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-7260464099508014822006-12-29T18:56:00.000-08:002006-12-29T18:58:27.455-08:00

Dec 29, 2006The true cost of disposable bagsLaurie Nielsen, Ancaster News, Ancaster, Ontario, CanadaAh...the plastic bag. While they are found everywhere these days, there was a time when they were more difficult to find. Today they're found in the streets, tree branches and streams - in every corner of this planet.

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-3556523462693890012006-12-29T18:47:00.000-08:002006-12-29T18:59:29.279-08:00

Frankly, I don't know what a Samina bag is, but this is a super cute handbag, made by a women's cooperative in India of old plastic bags!29 December 2006 Recycled plastic country bagVivaWoman! blog, SingaporeThis Samina bag is fun, fresh, and is good for the planet because it’s made of recycled plastic bags, which are a huge environmental hazard. Handmade by cooperatives in India, the project

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-21110976695221658332006-12-29T18:38:00.000-08:002006-12-29T19:05:15.830-08:00

Check out Australian Mark Vaarwerk’s innovative jewelry made from sterling silver and plastic shopping bags:December 27th, 2006 Putting his Spin on PlasticPolymer Clay Notes

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-54211218976035963812006-12-29T18:33:00.000-08:002006-12-29T18:37:28.185-08:00

How was Christmas for you? RubbishAlice Miles, The Times, London, UKHouseholders must pay for their wasteOn the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me . . . three bin-liners, two packing cases and the bubblewrap from the plastic Christmas tree....

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-34561925611932735812006-12-29T18:27:00.000-08:002006-12-29T18:31:52.606-08:00

Dec. 27, 2006 Remembering to recycleBy Sue Newman, Ashburton Guardian, Ashburton, New ZealandEach week, the petroleum used to make the plastic shopping bags used in the Ashburton District is sufficient to drive one car from Ashburton to Mt Hutt and back 9300 times. And while those bags can be recycled, many are finding their way into landfills around the district, Ashburton Recycling Centre

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-59208673214416489812006-12-29T18:20:00.000-08:002006-12-29T18:24:27.218-08:00

A vendor at a Vancouver Farmers Market is charging a per-bag fee to encourage the use of reusables:July 2006The Plas Tax: A Tax with an Environmental ConscienceBy Vicki Baker, Coquitlam Farmers Market (originally published in "The Cream of the Crop", CFMS newsletter June 4, 2006)You may have noticed that one of our vendors is now charging a small fee for plastic bags. This vendor was motivated by

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-42081486966486876332006-12-29T18:07:00.000-08:002006-12-29T18:10:50.526-08:00

18 December 2006Govt rules out complete ban on plastic bagsSahara Samay, New Delhi, IndiaThe Government today refused putting a blanket ban on usage of plastic bags in the country but noted that certain categories of plastic bags are prohibited...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-11291089494921058032006-12-29T17:59:00.000-08:002006-12-29T18:11:40.862-08:00

Taiwan bans disposable utensils, but reverses their 3 year ban on disposable plastic bags:Dec 18, 2006Many support EPA ban on throw-away utensilsBy Shelley Shan, Taipei Times, TaiwanA recent survey conducted by the Environmental Protection Admin-istration (EPA) showed that only 20 percent of the population reported that they frequently brought along non-disposable utensils to dine out...

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-18967732104198183122006-12-29T17:39:00.000-08:002006-12-29T17:53:16.427-08:00

The Tax Foundation, a "nonpartisan" tax research group, don't like the plastax, saying "Policymakers have a myriad of other tools at their disposal for dealing with environmental issues". They don't like that plastaxes veer from the original purpose of the tax system, to generate revenue for government operations. I guess the free market is supposed to solve all. Ha.December 15, 2006Cleaning up

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-85032430282473789962006-12-29T17:36:00.000-08:002006-12-29T17:39:40.991-08:00

17 December 2006With 25 million less plastic bags, eco-taxation makes an impactJames Debono, Malta Today, San Gwann, MaltaThe eco-tax has had a positive impact on the environment. In two years, the number of plastic bags has been reduced by 25 million. And yet the environmental tax has failed to encourage the use of biodegradable plastic bags, the only bags which can be turned into compost, and

Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15028271785294971028noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3587969028313905653.post-91241972497477124242006-12-14T21:48:00.000-08:002006-12-14T21:52:49.563-08:00

Kerala bans plastic items less than 50 micron thicknessDec 13, 2006http://www.newkerala.com/news4.php?action=fullnews&id=65926Kerala News , Thiruvananthapuram, IndiaIn an attempt to check environmental pollution, Kerala cabinet today decided to ban the use of plastic bags, bottles and cups with thickness less than 50 microns in the state...

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