S.N.U.B Say No to Unwanted Bags

[monica]

S.N.U.B Say No to Unwanted Bags

Do you really need a plastic bag? Many of the retailers on Lordship lane, with the support of Southwark council and local residents, are working towards a goal of hopefully reducing plastic bag usage in East Dulwich. Many of the residents are already proactive, by taking their own bags when shopping. As a retailer I always ask the customer do they need a bag and the majority say no.

However there are retailers In East Dulwich who give bags out automatically. Next time you are in a shop and the retailer gives you a bag without asking please ask yourself if you really need that bag and saying no. By doing this one thing you are reducing your carbon footprint, it may seem like a drop in the ocean, but added up all these little drops in the ocean will help save marine and wild life. Please post your comments,negative or positive, all feedback gratefully received:))

(It has been requested that this thread be made an announcement and is has. The retailers are getting behind this scheme, the local Council are backing it and as you are now aware of it I trust you will act accordingly - The Administrator)

[bignumber5]

I always say no if I don't want a bag and I'm glad others do too.

We try to take plastic bags to the recycling bins at sainsbury's and have a couple of reuseable fabric bags, but as a lot of shopping is inpromtu on-the-way-home-from-work shopping, we still end up with a big stash accumulating in the house.

Maybe a decent idea would be American style brown paper bags - could be made out of recycled paper, and could be recycled much more easily as Southwark do recycled paper collections but not plastic bag collections. Just a thought.

[monica]

Great idea we are looking at alternatives,but this is another option we are looking at

[wee quinnie]

Southwark do not accept brown paper bags for recycling (see link) - although if you have a compost bin you could put them into that.

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/YourServices/environment/RecyclingPages/WhatCanBeRecycled.html

As for Sainsburys recycling plastic bags, I think that is a bit of a red herring, as they are transported overseas for reprocessing - why not just re-use them? If you are doing a bit of shopping on the way home from work why not get into the habit of carrying a folded up plastic bag in your pocket?

[Michael Palaeologus]

Looked at the Southwark link -stupidly picky! Why cany they accept brown paper but can accept white?

I completely agree re paper shopping bags. It does seem a much more environmentally friendly approach. Even if they cannot be recycled, they do degrade and disappear within a matter of months rather than the 400 years for plastic bags.

[Mark]

I know the local council are behind this scheme and I think with a bit of help from each of us, East Dulwich could reduce the number of bags it gets through.

May I suggest that when you pop out to the shops you stick a couple of those Sainsburys bags into your pocket. When go to Somerfield or Budgens and they give you a bag for a single loaf of bread tell them there's no need, and if there is a need whip out your own bag. Simple.

Oh, and if a retailer's reading this, please tell the people serving behind your counter to say "do you need a bag?" rather than "do you want a bag?" to the customers. Everyone else, if you go to a shop in East Dulwich this week and they say "do you need a bag" let us know on here so we can all know who the good guys are (and give them some free publicity).

[batdog]

I am glad to read that the forum is becoming eco-friendly by prioritizing threads like Monica's one.

WELL DONE (tu)

[brash]

I see loads of sports bags, hold alls, string bags etc. in secondhand/charity shops. Surley these are the bags to use!

(not to sounding too patronising I hope!)

[monica]

We received a lot of signatures on the SNUB petitions today,they will be around lordship lane if anyone wanted to sign.

A lady came in the shop today and she asked me for a new plastic bag in which my reply was that from the next couple of weeks,we are going to reduce plastic bag usage,so our new shop bags will no longer be available,to which she replied thats all very well but she wants a clean brand new bag!!!I said its not about the bag its about looking after our planet and she just rolled her eyes up to the ceiling.There will always be 1 lol:-S

[char1ie]

When you decide not to accept plastic carrier bags will you also reject supermarket food with excessive plastic packaging? Will you return all your glass bottles to the manufacturer instead of smashing them in a glass recycling container for them to be melted down and made into bottles? Will you ask your paper recycling centre how much bleach and other environmentally unsound chemicals they use to clean the paper pulp? Will you ensure that the paper you use comes from sustainable forest where many new tress are planted to replace each felled one?

Charlie

[AcedOut]

But who is going to stop all those cows from farting?

[Mark]

Good questions Char1ie but most people will say probably no. If people could say yes to "do you avoid using new plastic bags" then it's a step in the right direction.

[SeanMacGabhann]

although to be fair, a good number of people will be able to answer yes to charl1ie' questions as well

And of course ED is nowhere near the vanguard on this issue - several European countries (incl Ireland) have taken the initiative years ago

There is definitely a case to be answered viz: "is this not just a drop in the ocean?" but every long journey starts with a couple of small steps (to mix my metaphors). It's certainly no real hardship is it to give up the bags is it?

[char1ie]

Agreed. I think it's great. I refuse bags from supermarkets all the time. I'm easy to spot on Lordship Lane - I'm the one dropping my stuff all over the pavement on the way home ;-)

In all seriousness there are so many things we could do. Re-using bags is just one of many.

Why don't companies collect up their own bottles like they used to? 10p back on the R Whites Cream Soda bottle seems so retro now but it makes a lot of sense.

Charlie

[dullwitch]

re glass bottles. Does anyone remember when you used to get money back if you took the bottles back to the shop?

Why oh why did they stop doing that???

Ooooooooooooooooopppppppppps!!!:-$ Sorry Charlie... didn't finish your last thread

[monica]

East Dulwich are working towards being the first town who will be plastic bag free in london,all it takes a little effort on everyones part.Charlie has lots of valid points and hopefully one day we can all say that we did our bit and helped our planet,as it is everyones responsibility to look after the planet for future generations.

[brash]

If we buy it, "They" will supply it!

[macroban]

> East Dulwich are working towards being the first town who will be plastic bag free in london

Who says so?

[Mark]

I know of Modbury, South Devon but none in London, do you know otherwise? If so we could be the second/third/forth etc plastic bag free town in London

[monica]

There are no towns in london at the moment,but i know there are a few who want to become plastic bag free.

[macroban]

>> East Dulwich are working towards being the first town who will be plastic bag free in london

> Who says so?

Is it the Community Council?

[Mark]

is this heading towards a "I live in East Dulwich and I never said I want East Dulwich to be plastic bag free" comment? as it comes across to me like it is. The first line on Monica's initial post "Many of the retailers on Lordship lane, with the support of Southwark council and local residents..."

Are we agreed that reducing the amount of plastic bags is for the greater good? If so, we should just get on and do it rather that trying to pick holes in the reasoning. If not, something else.

[edited once]

[monica]

Thanks mark,i know it will be impossible to become plastic bag free completely,but we can try to play our part and take responsibility for what is happening to the planet,we live here after all,so we are all accountable.Sorry if i come across strongly but i am very passionate about this,and i do get frustrated towards certain attitudes.

[Ko]

Good work Monica, Bellenden Belle and others. I now always have 2 reusuable bags in my handbag. I'm amazed at how many plastic bags I used to use. All the little things help to make a difference.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Bellenden Belle - have I missed her involvement in this one ? She has been AWOL from these parts of late unless I'm blind... which is possible