Selangorians / Selangorites? Lets get ready our reusable bags before we go shopping. Effective from January 1st, 2010, Selangor will implement the "No Plastic Bag Day". Retailers and shopping centres are urged to participate with the aim to reduce the use of plastic bags.
When this campaign was implemented in some places last week, on Jan 2nd, there were still some customers who were caught unaware, so they complained and some even demanded that they be given plastic bags!
As I know, Carrefour, Giant, Jusco, Cold Storage and Convenience Store chains will all be implementing this policy by this Saturday, 9th Jan. In fact, some has already started doing it. Some supermarket will provide reusable carton boxes to customers while others will charge 10-20 cents for every plastic bag. Alternatively, we can also buy the reusable bags, prices which start at RM 1.99.
I remember an incident many years ago when I was at the MPH Bookshop at Mid-Valley with my toddler son. There was this story teller, Ms A, who told the kids about saving the marine turtles from extinction. She told the kids about the danger of throwing plastic bags into the sea where baby turtles will mistaken it for a jellyfish and will die from soffocation when they swallow the floating plastic bags thrown by people. At that time, I was very glad that there are marvelous people like Ms A who took the time and trouble to educate kids about caring for our environment. This story has remained in my head until today, eventhough I was just a bystander, a parent tending to my child when the story was told then.
Now, I am ready! Look at the picture above. It's so easy. The bags are foldable and can easily fit into my blue reusable bag. When going to 'ta pau' (takeaway food), remember to bring a tiffin carrier or reusable container from home. At the bakery, bring along a reusable container too. Some people have already made this a habit.
Consider the Following Shocking Facts About Plastic Shopping Bags:
•Plastic bags are made of polyethylene
•Polyethylene is a petroleum product
•Production contributes to air pollution and energy consumption
•Four to five trillion plastic bags are manufactured each year
•Americans use over 380 billion polyethylene bags per year
•Americans throw away approximately 100 billion polyethylene bags per year
•Of those 100 trillion plastic bags, 1% are recycled
•It takes 1000 years for polyethylene bags to break down
•As polyethylene breaks down, toxic substances leach into the soil and enter the food chain
•Approximately 1 billion seabirds and mammals die per year by ingesting plastic bags
•Plastic bags are often mistaken as food by marine mammals. 100,000 marine mammals die yearly by eating plastic bags.
•These animals suffer a painful death, the plastic wraps around their intestines or they choke to death
•Plastic bag choke landfills
•Plastic bags are carried by the wind into forests, ponds, rivers, and lakes
Source from Suite101.com, article titled: Say No To Plastic Bags: The Shocking Facts About Polyethylene Bags
A simple action on our part, an enormous impact on Mother Earth!
Are you ready to make a start?
Thank you to Michelle of Rambling Woods for hosting Think(ing) Green Thursday # 31. To participate or to view contributions from other green thinkers around the globe, please visit here.
