The Plastic Bag Story

TALKING WITH MORRISONS

Banchory is experiencing a problem with Academy students buying their lunches at our local Morrisons Supermarket and discarding the plastic bags along the road and around the parks before heading back to school.  The Council say that they are currently picking-up three large sacs of plastic rubbish every afternoon.

This is totally unacceptable.   I have arranged a meeting  to be held later this week with the Manager of the store, the chairman of the Banchory Community Council, a local Councillor and myself to discuss what can be done.  However, I realise that the actions the store can take are probably limited.  [I would like them to refuse to give students plastic bags and simply to expect the children to carry their purchases in their arms or in a backpack.]

I believe that the answer lies in educating the students and  have asked that all school children in and around Banchory are shown a number of photographs that I have recently come across which very powerfully illustrate the problems plastic bags can cause.

Also,

PLASTIC LITTER IN THE SOUTH

During the last few days my husband and I have been driving South through countryside that should be looking at its best with all the Spring flowers and trees coming into leaf.  However, what we have been looking at has been mile after mile of litter – mostly plastic. 

I am totally depressed and very annoyed.  Britain looks like a huge dump.  What has happened that people feel it is alright to just toss litter from their cars?

When I was growing-up in Australia [more years ago than I care to mention], the Australian countryside looked a little like this.  However, the Government introduced large fines and conducted a huge programme in the schools and the media to educate Australians to take their litter home with them and dispose of it there.

I know, this is not completely connected to the Banchory bags Campaign, but plastic bags were a large part of the roadside litter I have been looking at and I feel that we have to hope that more towns are inspired to try to go Plastic Bag Free.