Phuket 'Anti Plastic Bag' Campaign Kicks Into Gear

[rubik101]

But on the other hand.......

http://www.plasticbagfacts.com/Main-Menu/Fast-Facts

[TechnikaIII]

It's difficult to see this as something that will actually take hold, but I'll try to stay optimistic nonetheless. I've at least got all of the many minimarts and shops in my neighborhood to not even offer me a plastic bag now. It's taken a while and a lot of pleading. I don't see anyone else refusing a bag no matter how small the item. My finger will remain crossed. At least someone is trying.

In my town, I don't actually refuse a plastic bag. I show them that I don't need it, because I always have a used one in my pocket, or a different carry bag altogether. And it is being

noticed. Two Thai friends, locals, have begun to do the same. ;-)

[thaiIand]

its pretty clean where i am, no landfill.. dont rly care about ghettos

[phuketjock]

I shop regularly at Tops,Tesco,Big C, previously Carrefour, and only Tops give me biodegradable

plastic bags which last long enough for me to use them for my household rubbish and send them off

to the rubbish tip where after about six months they degrade into the soil.

Now why are the other supermarkets I use not using these bags?? I think it is probably because they

may cost a little more and this would eat into their wastly obscene profits. Get real all of you

this is just another scam by the big moneymaking supermarkets to make even more money, make them

pay for the biodegradable bags end of story!!!!

[phuketjock]

All you supposed greenies need to read post no. 31 from rubik 101, his link is a real eye opener to

the facts on plastic against paper bags.

[daiwill60]

I am always amazed at the efficiency of the BigC cashiers when separating the goods into different bags at the checkouts , they never do this in the UK, we did it ourselves. The result in many cases was bags of widely varying assortments of goods but the bags were filled to capacity as much as possible, Whereas, in the likes of BigC a few well sorted items are popped into a bag and then a new bag is used for other items, result = 6 bags where 2 bags would have been more than enough.

Charge 10 bht per bag and then see a difference, people will be going out everywhere looking for bags to sell back to others for 5 bht each, a bit like we did as kids, going out looking for pop bottles when we could get a 6pence back for each one returned to the shop.

Ah the good old days when we really did know how how to recycle.

[madmitch]

So, this campaign has been running in earnest for a week.

Has anyone been given a free reuseable cloth bag?

Has anyone bought a single item in 7-Eleven that hasn't been put into a plastic bag?

Is Big C still giving 6 bags when 2 would suffice?

I think I know the answers but maybe someone will surprise me.

[LivinginKata]

no, no, and yes

[MissChris]

Just last week I sent off 3 Woollies nylon bags to son's Thai fiancee, so she can be the modern shopper. They fold up with a velcro strap into hand size. They have a little loop inside that I use to clip my car keys in when I'm at the f&v market here in Oz..

You have to TRAIN the checkout people. Hand them your reusable bag. When at Villa, put it in the hands of the packer and tell them you want them to use it, please. If necessary, take your item(s) out and put them in your reusable bag, then hand the plastic bag back.

Bunnings here have no plastic bags, but keep all their cardboard boxes. You can wheel your trolley to your car and pack your items in there anyway.

Buy a reusable Pooper Scooper and wash your bin. Then you won't need plastic bags.

The amount of plastic found in sea creatures is heartbreaking. We have to everything we can to stop plastic getting into the ocean.

[LadyinRed]

I'd like to add: takeaways.

For a while now I have a couple of empty plastic/ microwave boxes in the car in case I want to pack food home. You do get the odd looks but your food box that the chicken rice goes into saves a plastic bag that lines a styrofoam box, another plastic bag for the soup, two smaller plastic bags for the soy + chilli sauce, plus another bigger plastic to put them all together. This way I've avoided putting five assorted sized plastic bags and a styrofoam box in Phuket's landfill just for a meal.

[JetsetBkk]

I am always amazed at the efficiency of the BigC cashiers when separating the goods into different bags at the checkouts

<snip>

Yes. This can be a real pain. What I do is to lay out my purchases so that some frozen stuff is first, then dry goods, then smelly goods, then more frozen goods, dry goods, fresh fruit, etc.

That way, the cashier gives up trying to sort them and I get lots of half full bags. I once managed to get about 15.

Then I use them again at Makro and other stores that don't give out bags.

I wonder if I should start an "anti-anti-plastic bag" campaign?

On second thoughts, there's no need as plastic bags will be here long after I've kicked the bucket.

Why is it that people so against plastic bags can't see that the problem is littering?

[MissChris]

Why is it that people so against plastic bags can't see that the problem is littering?

The chicken or egg question is solved if there are no plastic bags.

[keestha]

Re littering: I remember that Spain in the late seventies was quite dirty, garbage all over the place, plastic bags laying on the floor in bars and so on. But then in two years or so it suddenly greatly improved. Don't know what they did, any elderly Spanish poster around who can enlighten me por favor?

It would help enormously I think if on Thai television a campaign would be started urging people to refrain from littering.

[iSabai]

Re littering: I remember that Spain in the late seventies was quite dirty, garbage all over the place, plastic bags laying on the floor in bars and so on. But then in two years or so it suddenly greatly improved. Don't know what they did, any elderly Spanish poster around who can enlighten me por favor?

It would help enormously I think if on Thai television a campaign would be started urging people to refrain from littering.

TV ad campaigns worked in the US. "Put litter in its place!" Simple catchy phrase along with a video of someone dropping trash into the bin. That takes all of a 5 - 10 second spot on TV every hour or two. Reinforce that with education in schools starting at early ages and possibly in a few years the results will be noticeable.