Comments on: They sold me a merry Christmas http://www.cslondon.org/2010/12/they-sold-me-a-merry-christmas/ Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:41:37 +0100 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: Jeni Christensen http://www.cslondon.org/2010/12/they-sold-me-a-merry-christmas/#comment-162 Jeni Christensen Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:15:43 +0000 http://www.cslondon.org/?p=1206#comment-162 Use a branded folding bag, not plastic ... Woolworths and Coles supermarkets have just launched them here or there is a more stylist Eco brand (more expensive though and probably not for giveaway) ... More people now reuse these as they are easier to have in your handbag or men in their pocket. I concur with Dave on how many do not get reused, but don't on plastic. Love your work Shaun on Action Sustainability, London 2012 ... Jeni (Melbourne, Australia) Use a branded folding bag, not plastic … Woolworths and Coles supermarkets have just launched them here or there is a more stylist Eco brand (more expensive though and probably not for giveaway) … More people now reuse these as they are easier to have in your handbag or men in their pocket.

I concur with Dave on how many do not get reused, but don’t on plastic.

Love your work Shaun on Action Sustainability, London 2012 … Jeni (Melbourne, Australia)

]]> By: Dave Cook http://www.cslondon.org/2010/12/they-sold-me-a-merry-christmas/#comment-67 Dave Cook Fri, 04 Feb 2011 12:08:07 +0000 http://www.cslondon.org/?p=1206#comment-67 Hi Shaun, whilst plastic bags may not be perfect, how we use them is a more relevant issue. First of all, we've all been to events where "green" bags were handed out - how many of these bags do we actually see being re-used? And if we're supposed to use them again and again, why do we get them at so many events? Why not hand out either plain plastic bags or plastic bags with a neutral or likeable logo on them? At an event in Scotland bags were handed out with simply the St Andrews saltire - people were more than happy to reuse them in their private lives. And that brings me on to my second point about how we use plastic bags. Accepting that people expect to get them, we should be asking customers to use more bags, but put less in. If I use 4 bags a week and cram them full, they will last a couple of weeks. So in a year I will use about 100 bags. If I use 6 bags and fill them less full they will last 4, 5, maybe 6 weeks. So I will use a maximum of about 75 bags a year - a reduction of 25%. We should make the buying of heavy duty bags much easier - lets give away 2 for every £20 spent with a charge of 10p each thereafter. Someone would have to do the arithmetic but if people can be persuaded to reuse bags supermarkets will surely save costs in the long run. Best wishes Dave Hi Shaun, whilst plastic bags may not be perfect, how we use them is a more relevant issue. First of all, we’ve all been to events where “green” bags were handed out – how many of these bags do we actually see being re-used? And if we’re supposed to use them again and again, why do we get them at so many events? Why not hand out either plain plastic bags or plastic bags with a neutral or likeable logo on them? At an event in Scotland bags were handed out with simply the St Andrews saltire – people were more than happy to reuse them in their private lives.
And that brings me on to my second point about how we use plastic bags. Accepting that people expect to get them, we should be asking customers to use more bags, but put less in. If I use 4 bags a week and cram them full, they will last a couple of weeks. So in a year I will use about 100 bags. If I use 6 bags and fill them less full they will last 4, 5, maybe 6 weeks. So I will use a maximum of about 75 bags a year – a reduction of 25%.
We should make the buying of heavy duty bags much easier – lets give away 2 for every £20 spent with a charge of 10p each thereafter. Someone would have to do the arithmetic but if people can be persuaded to reuse bags supermarkets will surely save costs in the long run.
Best wishes
Dave

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