One new green thing a week!

arkonite_babe

Just to confirm, Republic Of Ireland introduced a bag tax to stop all the free carriers being given out. If you need a bag now you buy one (just like we do in lidl here) I think they cost 15cents.

Yep, here's the news article about it:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2205419.stm

P__G

Youv'e inspired me - I'll do the carrier bag thing and also the switching off at the wall thing.

Thanks.

jen_jen_2

welcome everyone whos joining in!! keep us updated on your sucess and (dare i say it) "failures" :rolleyes:

flashman_62

carrier bags - just bought 6 Tesco bags for life for my weekly shop. I even remembered to put them back in my car boot for next time! I must also remember to take them when I go to the market for my food shop

arkonite_babe

Got a phone call from Sainsburys this afternoon about the carrier bag scheme.

They stopped doing the penny back scheme in 2004 and introduced recycling points at each store for recycling carrier bags. The bins themselves are made of recycled plastic.

Stores are now being offered several types of reusable bags to sell to customers ranging from the bag for life through to a trolley sack type one.

Smart boxes have been discontinued but they will be looking at it again.

Compostable carrier bags were trialed in some stores in 2003, but the customer feedback wasn't good so they suspended the idea. They say that they may go back and trial this scheme again now that there is more eco awareness almost 4 years on.

I made a suggestion that cashiers wear badges at the till saying "Do you really need that bag?" to prompt people into reusing or not using carrier bags. This suggestion will be passed on apparently

Sainsburys say that the packaging on their so organic range is compostable and that they are working hard to improve the other packaging ranges in store.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

this week i am recycling my yeo valley yoghurt pots... the big ones with the lids.....on the old style section....black-satun...had posted a lovely recipe for home made ice cream.....which is very yummy.....when i popped into my local supermarket.... the fresh cream was reduced down to just 10p for today i am making more home made ice cream.. diff..flavours... and using the yoghurt pots for that... they are just the right size.....plus they allready have the lid with them....

SusanCarter

arkonite_babe wrote:

Got a phone call from Sainsburys this afternoon about the carrier bag scheme.

They stopped doing the penny back scheme in 2004 and introduced recycling points at each store for recycling carrier bags. The bins themselves are made of recycled plastic.

Doesn't sound very good as reuse is better than recycling. Lots of people are probably recycling bags they've used once and think it is being really green.

I'm going to pack up my carrier bags so I have bags of ten so that they are handy for taking for a big shop. I don't need a carrier for little shops as it's just around the corner (most of the travelling time is spent waiting to cross the road) but need to get organised for when I go shopping in town. Usually I fill my shoulder bag and then end up with a few carriers but it totally kills me carrying them so next time I'm going to take a rucksack. If anyone knows where I can get a cheap shopping trolley, let me know.

catznine

I am ashamed of my collection of plastic carrier bags so I am joining in this one. I know for a fact that most charity shops appreciate being given any carrier bags to re use in their shops, so mine are going to the Salvation Army charity shop tomorrow. I actually have a couple of fabric bags that my sister made for me and I will pop them into the car tomorrow with an old beach bag and a giveaway bag I got from a charity fashion show i went to last year.

So this week shopping bags, next week find a kitchen compost bin!

Kool_Kool

Turning off at the socket. I can do that NOW! Carrier bags I'll take them when I go shopping....

Quasar

All of them in place already! I have several uses for plastic carrier bags:

1. Re-use them for shopping, of course

2. Give them to charity shops as already suggested above

3. I use them as rubbish bin liners (being on my own I don't use a large one)

4. I always have two, neatly folded, at the bottom of my handbag just in case I need one. Once I spotted real bargains in a supermarket and saved myself a neat sum, PLUS I had my own carriers...

5. I keep the clear, thin small carriers one gets in supermarkets for vegs and bakery, and take them with me again for the same purpose. Currently I have three that I must have used a dozen times already. Even the clear wrappers from magazines, neatly cut at the top, serve this purpose very well.