by Imogen French

Created on: January 29, 2009   Last Updated: July 12, 2009

The debate as to whether plastic bags should be banned has had a notable effect on shopping habits in recent years. We have become accustomed to being handed all our purchases in a nice new shiny plastic bag, but it is only recently that the environmental impact has started to become apparent, and people are beginning to rethink something that they once took for granted.

In England it all started with one woman in the small Devon town of Modbury, who campaigned relentlessly to her local shops to stop giving out plastic bags, for the sake of the environment, until eventually the whole town was declared a plastic bag free zone (see www.plasticbagfree.com ). This idea has spread, and now many English supermarkets are competing for green credentials by promoting the use of reusable bags, in response to public demand. There are plenty of alternatives, many shops now use strong paper bags, which are recyclable, or encourage you to bring your own (like in the good old days - before plastic bags were invented). Bags made of sustainable materials are also readily available, I even saw a handmade bag for sale that was crocheted out of old plastic bags! While not banning them altogether, many shops will not automatically put your shopping in a plastic bag - you have to ask for one. These changes in shopping habits are starting to have profound and much needed environmental benefits.

As an overcrowded island nation, Britain has issues with landfill sites, so any reduction in waste packaging is significant for this reason. It is also surrounded by the sea, and plastic bags are causing untold damage to the indigenous marine life around the coast of Britain. Many plastic bags are labelled as being biodegradable, but even these can take years to break down to harmless levels. Dolphins, fish, turtles and seabirds are often found washed up on the beach, killed by ingesting plastic bags and other human debris. The Marine Conservation Society are a UK charity who campaign to raise public awareness about the dangers of litter to marine life, and to call for more protection for our seas, shores and wildlife (visit their website at www.mcsuk.org). The amount of rubbish that is washed up on the shore is unbelievable, it is strewn with litter from tourists, shipping and even sewage that is washed out to sea from sewage outlets. MSC surveys show that the most prolific type of rubbish found on the beaches at the moment is plastic bags and fragments of plastic bags.

Another website that puts this subject across well is www.messageinthewaves.com, highlighting the issue of plastic pollution around the islands of Hawaii, and the need to protect the fantastic and unique wildlife that can be found there. This is a global issue, and the debate should continue to be addressed, on a global as well as a local scale. We owe it to the world that we inhabit to think twice about our use of resources and the litter that we produce.

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