Do you have more green shopping bags at home than you need?
Marrickville Council’s Bagbuster program, in partnership with The Watershed, is urgently calling for donations of unused green bags that can be used for Marrickville’s first ever community BagShare.
All kinds of reusable shopping bags are welcome in the BagShare; cotton, hemp, polypropylene ("green" bags), nylon and jute bags can be donated.
Donate your bags at these locations:
The Bagbusters BagShare is a community effort to reduce plastic shopping bags in the Marrickville Council area. Plastic bags are harmful to the environment in two ways:
1) Toxic chemicals and non-renewable resources (oil, coal, and gas) are used in the manufacturing process; and
2) When discarded, plastic bags stay in the environment from 20 - 1000 years, during which they can harm marine animals, block storm drains, and cause visual pollution.
Not only that, but plastic bags are not "free" - they cost Australians $173 million annually. Shoppers pay for them in the form of higher prices for the products they buy.
The BagShare makes donated reusable shopping bags available for loan at participating shops. If you forget your bag, you may borrow a BagShare bag and return it on your next shopping trip, or drop it at The Watershed. And if you really want to make a difference, you can top up the community BagShare supply with any extra reusable bags you might have at home.
The BagShare specifically aims to prevent the use of plastic bags when well-intentioned shoppers forget their reusable bags. Additionally, individuals who have not yet tried reusable bags can experience the convenience and ease of using reusable bags.
The BagShare has been well received by retailers and shoppers! The following businesses have showed their support for the environment by trialling the BagShare:
Recognising the environmental problems with plastic bags, more businesses are eager to participate in the BagShare. If you would like your business to participate in the BagShare, please contact Jackie Cupples, Plastic Bag Reduction Officer or Mithra Cox, Senior Environmental Officer at 9335-2222.
For more information about the Bagbusters Program visit our Plastic Bag Reduction page.