Home  Alternatives
|
But I really need to be able to offer an alternative. What can I do? It would be great if customers brought their own bags shopping with them wouldn’t it? However, there are always going to be occasions when traders need to provide an alternative to a plastic bag. The bag ladies are STILL hard at work researching the best alternatives they can find. So far the preferred option is a starch based bag made from plant derivatives. The reason this is looking good is because these bags are fully home compostable (and therefore completely biodegradable) and we are ideally looking for one made out of waste products. You can make starch based bags from high starch vegetables like corn and potatoes and put them to a variety of uses. Starch based bags are strong and waterproof. How long they last depends on their composition, additives and intended use and storage. Most of these alternatives have a greater or lesser content of plastic!! It is very hard to find out the truth in these matters as the packaging world is extremely competetive and secretive about their 'recipes' Negotiations are still going ahead...watch this space.
The aim is to have a Hebden Bridge generic waste potato starch carrier bag. It will be easily identifiable and can be reused over and over until they fall apart and can then be home composted. Have a look below for information about the starch based bag we are looking at. For another option, check out www.biobags.co.uk the company which supply the bags used at Modbury. Tip - Check out plastic facts/myths for definitions of compostable before you look for alternatives to plastic bags. plasticbagfree Hebden Bridge believes the best alternative to a plastic bag is a compostable starch based bag but we are still looking for the best product available.
- How can you tell if a product is what it says it is?
- Ask the manufacturer if their products have the following certificates: ASTM #D6400-99, the European standard EN-13432 and DIN V-54900.
Ask for a sample and check for logos which back up their claims. It costs money to achieve these certificates; if a manufacturer has passed they will want to shout about it.
|
|
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 18 September 2007 )
|
|
"I don't want a plastic bag thank you, I've got my own bag here"
Seminar
Sat 1st Dec 2007 How to go plasticbagfree in your town Read more...
Modbury, Devon
The traders in Modbury, Devon, were the pioneers of plastic bag free. Please look at their site too by following the link from this site.
Message in the waves
Watch the Message in the Waves trailer 
This powerful BBC documentary has triggered a strong desire to reduce the environmental impact of our waste. Plastic carrier bags are really only part of the story, but they are an item that you the consumer can easily take out of the waste stream by simply using an alternative.
BBC Look North
See the BBC Look North item for the campaign. (16 July 2007)
[Courtesy of HebWeb ]
Bag Ladies Mission Statement
The bag ladies is a not for profit community group that exists in order to assist the traders of Hebden Bridge in finding a practical alternative to plastic bags that damage the environment and contribute to climate change. The vision is for a plasticbagfree Hebden Bridge. The objectives are: - To work with Hebden Bridge traders, residents, visitors to the town and with other partners to inform people of the problems with plastic bags.
- To promote practical and environmentally friendly alternatives
- To conduct research into alternatives
- To promote the town and its traders as a plasticbagfree area
- To celebrate the towns plasticbagfree achievements
The 'bag ladies' as a group has been a useful media friendly 'vehicle' to promote this campaign.. but we do not own it! If you have strong ideas on how to take the campaign forward then please contact us . We do not wish to hold on tightly to this initiative - afterall we did not start it, we followed Modbury's lead! - or just go ahead and make changes happen, whether as a trader or a shopper.. and good luck!
Who's Online
|
