MARKS & SPENCERS JOIN THE GANG

Great news that Markies [as it is called up here] is going to start introducing a 5p charge for plastic carrier bags at their food outlets. No wonder, when they give away nearly 500 million bags a year! When will they make the charge store wide? Look at http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/consumer/caring/article.htmlin_article_id=431313&in_page_id=511&ct=5&in_page_id=511

I do hope all you have gone online and signed the petition in yesterday’s Daily Mail http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=519829&in_page_id=1770

Let’s not forget, though, that it is up to the customer to make a change. Stores would not need to have plastic bags if customers did not want them.

Yesterday morning I had a delightful morning talking with the children at Crathes Primary School. They were very supportive and asked some interesting questions. I am hoping that they will produce some colourful artwork which can go up in various shops around Banchory and, if the art work on their walls is anything to go by, I needn’t worry. They should certainly be eye-catching.

In the evening I spoke with a group of Home Start volunteers in the Banchory area. They do wonderful work helping families with very young children and, again, were totally supportive of the Banchory bags Campaign.

Good news on the funding front, too. So far we have received sponsorship from the North Banchory Company, Raeburn Christie Clark & Wallace , PGL, The Mortgage + Property Centre, and Keep Scotland Beautiful. Thank you, to all of them. We are still waiting to hear from other potential sponsors and hope to do so very shortly.

THE ‘DAILY MAIL’ SUPPORTS US

Today’s issue of the Daily Mail has a NINE [9] PAGE SPREAD entitled ‘BANISH THE BAG’.

I urge you all to look at it. There are some excellent photographs of the damage plastic bags are doing to animals and to the countryside. There is also a coupon to cut out and send in as a petition to the UK government to register your concern about the environmental impact of the 13 billion plastic bags British retailers give to shoppers every year.And for those of you interested in having a glossy A1 wallchart you will find details of how to obtain this on the bottom of Page 50. I would highly recommend this for parents and schools as it is the younger generation that has to carry on the good work.

SUPPORT FROM SOME

Banchory Library are very supportive of our scheme and are putting our bookmarks into every book lent by the library over the next few months. Bookmarks have also been taken to the schools and will be distributed there.

Sue Ryder Care has two different styles of jute bags with the Sue Ryder Care name printed on them, and have found they are selling more of these in recent weeks.

However, in one of the shops I was in today when I very politely queried whether a customer standing next to me really needed a plastic carrier bag , the customer said, in no uncertain terms:

“It’s too ******** late to save the planet.”

Oh, well – Ups and downs!

Ten shops surveyed today and only one definitely not in support of the campaign. The others will need some persuading if they are to be completely won over, although many said that they had been thinking of making changes.

GOOD NEWS, in that ALL of the shops remarked that more and more customers were bringing their own bags with them and refusing plastic bags.

Commenting on the interest generated by the campaign, Councillor Karen Clark says :

“There has been a lot of media attention focused on Banchory in the last week or two and it is really putting the town on the map. “

INITIAL SURVEY OF SHOPS

Three BbC volunteers did an initial survey of six of the local shops this week in order to make sure we were asking the right questions on our survey form.    Along with lots of explaination we are asking

• Have they heard of the campaign
• How many bags do they give away a week
• Would they consider supplying their own reusable bags
• Would they train their staff not to routinely offer plastic carrier bags to customers
• Would they like input from BbC volunteers with training
• Would they display a poster
• Would they object to being mentioned in publicity
• Any further questions/comments

One shop said that ‘NO’ they definitely would not support the scheme.  They have spent a lot of money on having their own plastic bags produced which were good advertising for their shop.  They had enough bags and plastic wrap for 3-4 yrs.

Another shop was completely the reverse, saying that they would never buy another plastic bag.  The other four were supportive, but had reservations – two saying that customers found the paper bags they used were not good in the rain.  All said that they had been looking into alternatives and that they had found the demand for plastic carrier bags had greatly reduced in the last six months.

As well as doing the survey on a one-to-one basis with the Manager/Owner we are leaving each shop with a list of possible suppliers of different types of reusable bags and a sheet giving them an idea of what the campaign is trying to achieve.

Next week we start surveying the rest of the shops and have to be prepared for several follow-up visits over the coming months. 

SURVEY OF SHOPPERS

98% of the 362 Banchory shoppers that were surveyed in various locations around Banchory last week  were in favour of Banchory becoming a Plastic Bag Free town.  Nearly 1 in 3 of those questioned were men.  One in six did not possess a reusable bag, but those who did had roughly 4-5.  Over 100 of those questioned said that they always use their reusable bags.

Plastic Bag Free Forum

I have received a few messages welcoming Banchory bags Campaign to the forum. This one from Bridgend and, in answer to their question, ‘Yes, we are on the MCS PBF list’.

“Welcome Christina to the PBF Google Group. It looks like you have a good thing going in Banchory – will you become the first Scottish community on the Marine Conservation Society PBF list? I hope you find the group to be helpful and informative. Enjoy! “

They have started a file of photographs of plastic bag litter around the UK, which they hope will be more relevant than those taken in Hawaii. They certainly are! 

MEDIA COVERAGE

Yesterday we were interviewed by The Green Diary. Pictured are Margaret, Alison and Karen posing for the photographer.

FANTASTIC RESPONSE

Wow! After just one week of encouraging Banchory residents to change to using reusable bags, look at the response we have got. WELL DONE, BANCHORY SHOPPERS.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

We have had bookmarks printed which our local library and the book shop will put into every book; and the local Arts Centre, the traders at the market, and several stores will give out. As well as listing six facts about plastic, the bookmarks are printed with HINTS AND TIPS to try to help people to remember to take their reusable bags with them.

• Say “no thanks” to plastic bags
• Try to always carry a compact reusable bag with you
• Remember to take reusable bags with you on shopping trips
• If you forget – ask for a cardboard box
• When you’ve unpacked, leave them ready for their next job:
  • By the door
  • In your coat pocket
  • With your wallet and keys
• TAKE PRIDE IN A GOOD HABIT

We hope they help. So many people have bags but haven’t yet got into the habit of carrying them with them all the time.

BbC also hope that when you go into the Banchory shops you will TELL THEM you are supporting the campaign and that you DO NOT WANT them to routinely put shopping into plastic bags.

As I mentioned yesterday, our local MPs are supporting us, but it would also be a help if you sent an email to the Scottish Parliament telling them that you want them to take action on plastic bags.

UPS & DOWNS

More good news.  We have today received a letter of congratulation and support from our local MPs, Mike Rumbles MSP, and Sir Robert Smith, MP.  Their letter points out that Mike Pringle MSP introduced a Members Bill in the Scottish Parliament calling for a levy to be introduced on plastic bags, and said that that the Liberal Democrats are very supportive of initiatives such as ours.

 I have also had emails from Rebecca Hosking inviting me to join a nation-wide, on-line forum of the leaders of Plastic Bag Free groups which has been running for some time and which has been a means by which advice and support can be shared between different towns.  It is an excellent idea and I am more than happy to join.