To prove that it can be done to myself and to others I embarked on a journey of monitoring and curbing my plastic bag usage. The Federal Government department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts have set up a plastic bag challenge and I used this as a framework for the project. (http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/waste/plastic-bags/challenge.html)
Step one: Count your bags!
Using the Bag Yourself a Better Environment Household Plastic Bag Survey (I was able to keep tabs on bags received, reused, used (i.e. as bin liners of pet tidy bags) and recycled. Having the entire household communicate and cooperate in this counting for a week was more of a challenge than I had anticipated but in the end everyone recognised the importance of the task at hand. The results were a little shocking. It was apparent that each resident of the house thought his/her plastic bag usage was minimal but when combined the numbers climbed. The tally went like this: bags received= 15, bags reused=0, bags used=5, recycled=0. Our reckless use was obvious! http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/publications/waste/plastic-bags/survey.html)
Step two: Reduce your use and recycle your plastic bags.
With dictator-like efficiency I implemented a complete ban on plastic bags from supermarkets, produce suppliers and butchers for one week and to ease the pain of this transition I purchased three organic calico bags for each member of the house including myself. Remarkably there was a positive, enthusiastic reaction to this new regime. The new calico bags were kept in the car for accessibility and were regularly used. At the end of the week only two new plastic bags had reached the house, one from a chemist and the other from a calico-less trip to the market. All in all a good result! Another visible benefit of the project was the depletion of the already overflowing bag drawer. The mere fact that the inflow of bags had been vastly reduced meant that the outflow was more resourceful.
Step three: Remember…
This turned out to be the most challenging step. Initial enthusiasm waned and I noticed plastic slowly creeping back into our routine in the weeks after the ban. We had talked about the importance of maintaining our new custom but the ease and acceptability of plastic bag use snuck back in. This highlights that the challenge does not lie in creating awareness of the overuse of plastic but in changing usage behaviours. Supermarket and Government action are vital in breaking the consumer behaviour patterns that dictate how and when we use plastic bags.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Write a letter to NSW Member for Parliament
Tell the NSW Labor Government and the state opposition that you want to put a stop to the environmental damage being caused by plastic bags. Here is a sample letter to the Hon. John Robertson MLC, Minister for Climate Change and the Environment.
Feel free to send the following letter on to him, to the NSW Premier, the Hon. Nathan Rees or to your state member (visit <http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/members.nsf/V3ListCurrentLAMembers?open&vwCurr=CurrLAByElectorate > for contact details for all NSW Members for Parliament).
Now in PDF format so you can save it to your computer and send it off easily!
http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=02554441235283717250
Feel free to send the following letter on to him, to the NSW Premier, the Hon. Nathan Rees or to your state member (visit <http://www.parliament.nsw.
Now in PDF format so you can save it to your computer and send it off easily!
http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=02554441235283717250
Mission Statement
We are an environmentally conscious, non-profit group advocating the introduction of a plastic bag levy in NSW supermarkets. Our aim is to reduce plastic bag usage by 90% in NSW within five years and thus promote a cleaner and healthier environment with more environmentally aware citizens.
While positive action is eventually in the hands of the individual, there is overwhelming evidence that without government initiative little will be done. The Ninety-Percent Group recognise and applaud those groups within Australia, particularly in NSW that are informing and educating people about the dangers of and alternatives to plastic bags. Projects such as Clean Up Australia’s Say No To Plastic Bags (http://www.cleanup.org.au/au/
The impact that plastic bags have on the environment is staggering. The non-biodegradable plastic bags such as those provided by most supermarkets can last in the environment for up to 1000 years. Once they are there they cause irrevocable damage to marine life, killing an estimated 1 million sear birds, 100,000 sea mammals and countless fish each year. Turtles, dolphins and killer whales choke or starve by confusing bags with jellyfish. And disastrously when the animal dies and decays the plastic lives, free to repeat the same cycle.
South Australia has already successfully implemented a ban on plastic bags, why can’t we?
By campaigning NSW State Government officials and local MP’s we aim to increase government consciousness on the issue as well as rally the support of concerned citizens.
Now is the time NSW!
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Sign, Sign, Sign!
We need your support!
Sign this petition to help us on our way.
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/theninetypercentproj/
Thanks, thanks, thanks!
Cheers,
-B
Sign this petition to help us on our way.
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/theninetypercentproj/
Thanks, thanks, thanks!
Cheers,
-B
Friday, October 30, 2009
Survey findings!
We recently conducted a survey of 64 people, a mix of males and females of all ages, asking them about their recycling practices at home, their bag use when shopping, and some thoughts on a plastic bag ban or levy. Here are some of the findings...
The above chart shows that in general, people tend to use different recycling methods more often than not, with 84% indicating that they recycle bottles/containers, 78% for paper and 41% who compost their food scraps.
The second chart shows some findings more relevant to The Ninety Percent Project. Firstly, although 7 out of 10 people (70%) use lightweight plastic bags when shopping, almost the same amount (65%) use greenbags. This high figure for lightweight plastic bag use may be more of a reflection of the supermarkets than the consumers, such that supermarkets are continuing to offer free plastic bags as an option for people. The high level of green bag use indicates that these are becoming more of the norm in everyday shopping practices.
Durable plastic bags (41%) and paper bags (13%) were also used, albeit to a lesser extent. A number of people also indicated they they use other types of bags when shopping. These included calico bags, nylon bags, trolleys, and own bags from home (e.g. backpack).
When comparing results for each person, there were some other interesting findings-
This last chart looks at how much people would be willing to pay for plastic bags. The fact that almost 4 out of 5 people (78%) indicated that they would be willing to pay more than the minimum price bracket, so over 10c per bag, indicates that this levy would be readily accepted. It would not be grudgingly paid for as an extra charge, rather people clearly see the importance of having such a levy in place in order to change people's behaviour and attitudes.
Some other interesting findings concerning this question-
If you have any thoughts, questions or would like to know more about this survey, post a response or send us an email at theninetypercentproject@gmail.com.
The above chart shows that in general, people tend to use different recycling methods more often than not, with 84% indicating that they recycle bottles/containers, 78% for paper and 41% who compost their food scraps.
The second chart shows some findings more relevant to The Ninety Percent Project. Firstly, although 7 out of 10 people (70%) use lightweight plastic bags when shopping, almost the same amount (65%) use greenbags. This high figure for lightweight plastic bag use may be more of a reflection of the supermarkets than the consumers, such that supermarkets are continuing to offer free plastic bags as an option for people. The high level of green bag use indicates that these are becoming more of the norm in everyday shopping practices.Durable plastic bags (41%) and paper bags (13%) were also used, albeit to a lesser extent. A number of people also indicated they they use other types of bags when shopping. These included calico bags, nylon bags, trolleys, and own bags from home (e.g. backpack).
When comparing results for each person, there were some other interesting findings-
- Those people who use green bags are more likely to recycle paper and bottles/containers, compost food scraps and support a plastic bag ban in NSW, and are less likely to use lightweight PBs than those who do not use green bags. In other words, there seems to be a run through effect such that those who engage in environmentally-friendly practices when shopping, do so at home, and are more 'green' in their attitudes.
- Conversely, those who use lightweight plastic bags are less likely to recycle paper and compost food scraps than those who don't use lightweight plastic bags, indicating that with a willingness to relinquish the plastic bag there is also more positive behaviour concerning environmental practices at home.
This last chart looks at how much people would be willing to pay for plastic bags. The fact that almost 4 out of 5 people (78%) indicated that they would be willing to pay more than the minimum price bracket, so over 10c per bag, indicates that this levy would be readily accepted. It would not be grudgingly paid for as an extra charge, rather people clearly see the importance of having such a levy in place in order to change people's behaviour and attitudes.Some other interesting findings concerning this question-
- There is a tendency for those who recycle paper to be willing to pay more for plastic bags than those who do not recycle paper. Of those people who don't recycle paper, 93% are willing to pay up to 25c per bag, and only 7% more than this. In contrast, out of those who do recycle paper, 55% are willing to pay up to 25% per bag, and 45% are prepared to pay more than this.
- There is a tendency for those who recycle bottles/containers to be willing to pay more for plastic bags than those who do not recycle bottles/containers. Those who do not recycle bottles/containers are only prepared to pay up to 25c per plastic bag, while out of those do recycle bottles/containers 57% will pay up to 25c per bag, and 43% are willing to pay more than this.
- There is a tendency for those who compost food scraps to be willing to pay more for plastic bags than those who do not compost food scraps. Almost 4 out of 5 people (78%) who do not compost, were only prepared to pay up to 25c per bag, with 22% indicating they would pay more than this. In contrast, 2 out of 5 people (42%) who do compost, are prepared to pay up to 25c per bag, with the majority (58%) being willing to pay more than this.
- It is interesting to note, that out of those who don't engage in the above recycling and composting practices, the majority were still prepared to pay between 10c and 25c per plastic bag, with 57%, 67% and 54% respectively choosing this amount in comparison to 18%, 33% and 24% respectively who chose the 'less than 10c' option.
- There is a tendency for those who do not use lightweight plastic bags to be willing to pay more for plastic bags than those who do use lightweight plastic bags. Almost three quarters of those who use lightweight plastic bags when shopping (73%) said that they would pay up to 25c per bag if made to, with 27% indicating they would pay between 25c and 75c. Out of the non-lightweight plastic bag users, only 42% said they would pay up to 25c per bag, with 59% indicating they would pay more than this.
If you have any thoughts, questions or would like to know more about this survey, post a response or send us an email at theninetypercentproject@gmail.com.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Just a Few FAQs
We know you've got questions and so we're going to provide you some answers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I say no to plastic bags?
Well, why say yes to them? Sure, they’re convenient and most shopping outlets provide them but there is the power of saying, ‘no, I’d rather use my own bag’. There are also a lot of other repercussions associated with using plastic bags. Let’s go through a few.
Plastic bags look ugly. Whether they’re caught up in the branches of a tree or clogging up a stormwater drain, plastic bags are undoubtedly a form of visual pollution. They’re lightweight so they can easily become airborne and they’re moisture resistant, so they float on waterways.
We’ve been hearing about it for a while now, that plastic bags are bad for the environment. But just exactly how? Starting right at the beginning, oil and gas, both of which are non-renewable resources, are used to make plastic bags. Other toxic chemicals used in the production process cause pollution. They are also very hard to recycle as they can up to 1000 years to biodegrade in landfill sites. Every year, Australians use around 6.9 billion plastic bags and around 50 to 80 million each year end up as litter. Improper disposal can lead to severe waterlogging if they end up blocking drains and gutters in street. In turn, this may lead to sewage and dirty water overflows, which increases the likelihood of water-borne diseases. When plastic bags break down in a marine ecosystem, the small particles soak up a million fold greater concentration of deadly compounds in the water, as opposed to normal seawater. This is because these particles are more attractive to hydrophobic contaminants, like DDE, so they accumulate and become concentrated on plastic debris. This is something we definitely don’t want, because they are extremely toxic when ingested by marine life. Furthermore, hundreds of thousands of animals, especially ones that live in bodies of water, die from swallowing plastic bags. It’s a slow and painful death as they die from choking or blockage in the intestines.
And why plastic bags? There’s a lot of potential to help the environment just by saying no to plastic bags. Plastic bags have, for a long time, been free of charge in supermarkets and other retailers, meaning that consumers often take their availability for granted. However, plastic bags aren’t essential to product integrity, that is, it often doesn’t make a difference to the quality or ‘integrity’ of the product whether consumers use them or not. Most often, it’s about functionality, just having the bags available to carry a lot of items or keep your meats and liquids separate from other items. However, this makes plastic bags Australia’s highest-volume ‘add-on’ packaging. Hence, there is potential for it to be replaced with other materials that are more ecologically friendly.
Will low income earners be affected by a plastic bag levy?
The basis of a plastic bag levy is that it gives consumers a choice of either paying for levied bags at checkout or bringing their own reusable bags. Based on this and expected consumer behavioural patterns, low income earners should actually be less affected by a plastic bag levy. According to a paper released by the Department of Environment and Heritage in 2002, low income earners will actually have a greater incentive to use reusable bags when they shop, and so it is expected that the levy impact on low income families will be much less than $1 per week. There have also been suggestions that revenue from the levy can also be used to provide for the group, such as through the provision of free reusable, green bags.
Will there be extra costs for the administration and implementation of the levy?
As with any type of action on this level, there are bound to be extra costs associated with the implementation and ongoing administration of the levy. In a 2002 paper released on the plastic shopping bags, the Department of Environment and Heritage identified that set-up costs will mostly lie in drafting and implementing the Code of Practice at industry level and in bringing about the structural changes to accommodate the levy. Ongoing costs revolving around the administration of the levy will mostly be in auditing and monitoring suppliers and retailers to ensure compliance with the Code, as well as in the collection of the levy revenue. Generally, levy administration costs range between 0.5% and 2.5% of the total collected revenue, but it can be go up as high as 8%. However, the revenue collected can go towards funding some of these costs, especially in areas of education and industrial and governmental administration.
On the other hand, there are also areas where costs may be reduced. A levy may reduce litter collection expenditure by the government since less plastic bags in the litter stream will mean there will be less as litter to be removed. However, since plastic bags only make up about 2% of Australia’s litter stream, the savings in the area are expected to be marginal. Since about 90% of plastic bags end up in landfills, landfill operation and management costs are expected to decrease with the reduction of plastic bags caused by the levy. There will also be reduced purchase costs.
Where will money go that is collected from the levy?
In Ireland, the first country to implement a legislated levy where the total cost is borne by consumers, the money raised from the revenue goes into the Environment Fund where it is then directed towards support of waste management and other environmental initiatives, such as environmental protection or sustainable development. Revenue has also been used to counterbalance costs incurred from the implementation and administration of the levy.
In Australia, it is proposed that the revenue collected from a legislated levy collected by government will likewise enter an Environment Fund where it will then be sectioned off towards offsetting the initial setup costs and the ongoing costs of administration. It may then be used to fund education across all sectors of industry, government and the general public in order to ensure that there is a marked shift in consumer behaviour relating to plastic bag use. Some funds may be used to help low income earners adjust to the mandatory costs of plastic bags by providing free reusable bags. It is also expected that money collected from the levy will also go towards further environment initiatives, aside from waste management and litter control. These may range from a national to international level.
Source:
Plastic Shopping Bags: Analysis of levies & environmental impacts, Department of Environment and Heritage, 2002
Plastic Bags Policy in Ireland & Australia, Scottish Parliament Information Centre, 2005
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I say no to plastic bags?
Well, why say yes to them? Sure, they’re convenient and most shopping outlets provide them but there is the power of saying, ‘no, I’d rather use my own bag’. There are also a lot of other repercussions associated with using plastic bags. Let’s go through a few.
Plastic bags look ugly. Whether they’re caught up in the branches of a tree or clogging up a stormwater drain, plastic bags are undoubtedly a form of visual pollution. They’re lightweight so they can easily become airborne and they’re moisture resistant, so they float on waterways.
We’ve been hearing about it for a while now, that plastic bags are bad for the environment. But just exactly how? Starting right at the beginning, oil and gas, both of which are non-renewable resources, are used to make plastic bags. Other toxic chemicals used in the production process cause pollution. They are also very hard to recycle as they can up to 1000 years to biodegrade in landfill sites. Every year, Australians use around 6.9 billion plastic bags and around 50 to 80 million each year end up as litter. Improper disposal can lead to severe waterlogging if they end up blocking drains and gutters in street. In turn, this may lead to sewage and dirty water overflows, which increases the likelihood of water-borne diseases. When plastic bags break down in a marine ecosystem, the small particles soak up a million fold greater concentration of deadly compounds in the water, as opposed to normal seawater. This is because these particles are more attractive to hydrophobic contaminants, like DDE, so they accumulate and become concentrated on plastic debris. This is something we definitely don’t want, because they are extremely toxic when ingested by marine life. Furthermore, hundreds of thousands of animals, especially ones that live in bodies of water, die from swallowing plastic bags. It’s a slow and painful death as they die from choking or blockage in the intestines.
And why plastic bags? There’s a lot of potential to help the environment just by saying no to plastic bags. Plastic bags have, for a long time, been free of charge in supermarkets and other retailers, meaning that consumers often take their availability for granted. However, plastic bags aren’t essential to product integrity, that is, it often doesn’t make a difference to the quality or ‘integrity’ of the product whether consumers use them or not. Most often, it’s about functionality, just having the bags available to carry a lot of items or keep your meats and liquids separate from other items. However, this makes plastic bags Australia’s highest-volume ‘add-on’ packaging. Hence, there is potential for it to be replaced with other materials that are more ecologically friendly.
What can I do to reduce my plastic bag usage?
- Use green bags - they're better for the environment in terms of both the production process and lifespan. Green bags are much more durable than plastic bags and can hold heavier weights. They're not bulky which means they can easily be stored in your car, and are also cheap to buy.
- Use other sorts of reusable bags, such as backpacks or those nylon carry bags with funky prints that can fold up really small to pocket size. These have similar benefits to green bags in that they will last a lot longer than plastic bags and can carry heavier weights
- If you're only purchasing a couple of items, use your hands!
- If you don't have any of your own bags on you and need to use plastic bags, ask the person at the supermarket check-out to put as many items as possible into the plastic bags. They can fit more than 2 loaves of bread!
- Bring plastic bags from home and reuse them instead of the ones being offered to you at the supermarket.
- Ask for a compostable bag. These have immediate benefits over and above non-compostable plastic bags in that they can be used to line your bin at home that's used for food scraps, which can then be thrown straight into the compost pile (you can find these bags at many stores including Aldi and Target)
- Carry spare bags (whether they are plastic bags, green bags, cardboard boxes or other carry bags) in your car, satchel or handbag in case of unexpected shopping!
- Encourage your friends and family to say no to plastic bags.
Will low income earners be affected by a plastic bag levy?
The basis of a plastic bag levy is that it gives consumers a choice of either paying for levied bags at checkout or bringing their own reusable bags. Based on this and expected consumer behavioural patterns, low income earners should actually be less affected by a plastic bag levy. According to a paper released by the Department of Environment and Heritage in 2002, low income earners will actually have a greater incentive to use reusable bags when they shop, and so it is expected that the levy impact on low income families will be much less than $1 per week. There have also been suggestions that revenue from the levy can also be used to provide for the group, such as through the provision of free reusable, green bags.
Will there be extra costs for the administration and implementation of the levy?
As with any type of action on this level, there are bound to be extra costs associated with the implementation and ongoing administration of the levy. In a 2002 paper released on the plastic shopping bags, the Department of Environment and Heritage identified that set-up costs will mostly lie in drafting and implementing the Code of Practice at industry level and in bringing about the structural changes to accommodate the levy. Ongoing costs revolving around the administration of the levy will mostly be in auditing and monitoring suppliers and retailers to ensure compliance with the Code, as well as in the collection of the levy revenue. Generally, levy administration costs range between 0.5% and 2.5% of the total collected revenue, but it can be go up as high as 8%. However, the revenue collected can go towards funding some of these costs, especially in areas of education and industrial and governmental administration.
On the other hand, there are also areas where costs may be reduced. A levy may reduce litter collection expenditure by the government since less plastic bags in the litter stream will mean there will be less as litter to be removed. However, since plastic bags only make up about 2% of Australia’s litter stream, the savings in the area are expected to be marginal. Since about 90% of plastic bags end up in landfills, landfill operation and management costs are expected to decrease with the reduction of plastic bags caused by the levy. There will also be reduced purchase costs.
Where will money go that is collected from the levy?
In Ireland, the first country to implement a legislated levy where the total cost is borne by consumers, the money raised from the revenue goes into the Environment Fund where it is then directed towards support of waste management and other environmental initiatives, such as environmental protection or sustainable development. Revenue has also been used to counterbalance costs incurred from the implementation and administration of the levy.
In Australia, it is proposed that the revenue collected from a legislated levy collected by government will likewise enter an Environment Fund where it will then be sectioned off towards offsetting the initial setup costs and the ongoing costs of administration. It may then be used to fund education across all sectors of industry, government and the general public in order to ensure that there is a marked shift in consumer behaviour relating to plastic bag use. Some funds may be used to help low income earners adjust to the mandatory costs of plastic bags by providing free reusable bags. It is also expected that money collected from the levy will also go towards further environment initiatives, aside from waste management and litter control. These may range from a national to international level.
Source:
Plastic Shopping Bags: Analysis of levies & environmental impacts, Department of Environment and Heritage, 2002
Plastic Bags Policy in Ireland & Australia, Scottish Parliament Information Centre, 2005
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
What I Just Noticed
Maybe it's because I haven't done grocery shopping in about two weeks or I'm just oblivious or it's new, I saw these very cool plastic bags near the checkout at the front of Coles (Dubbo) today! I was rushing through so I didn't have time to take a good look but what I saw was two types of reusable bags, at 15c and 25c each. The 25c, from what I could see, was biodegradable. So I did a little googling and found this http://www.coles.com.au/About-Coles/Environment/Reusable-Bags.aspx
Apparently they've been in place since September 1 2009. Hmmm, maybe the Coles supermarket that I usually shop at (Hillsdale) hasn't had these put in place yet. Must check next time in town.
Either way, looks like Coles is being pretty proactive about the plastic bag problem.
But the big question is: are you willing to pay 15c or 25c for one or more of these bags?
Cheers!
- B
Apparently they've been in place since September 1 2009. Hmmm, maybe the Coles supermarket that I usually shop at (Hillsdale) hasn't had these put in place yet. Must check next time in town.
Either way, looks like Coles is being pretty proactive about the plastic bag problem.
But the big question is: are you willing to pay 15c or 25c for one or more of these bags?
Cheers!
- B
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