Public meeting looks into plastic bag ban
Environmentally conscious Petersfield residents have gathered to discuss the possibility of banning plastic bags in the town.
The evening event, hosted by the Greening Campaign, featured talks and contributions from experienced campaigners and children as young as six years old.
Representatives from shops and supermarkets also gave their thoughts on the difficulties of removing plastic bags from check out tills.
Friends of the Earth representative Ray Cobbett explained the lessons learnt from Emsworth, which attempted to go plastic bag free 10 months ago. He said: "The plastic bag has become the hate object of the consumer society – it's an object we love to hate," he said.
The initial proposal was forged between residents, local businesses and the Friends of the Earth group and 4,000 cotton bags were produced and issued to every household in the town.
Mr Cobbett said that many businesses continued to hand out plastic bags to customers who wanted one but added: "Traders have said demand for plastic bags is much less now."
A representative from Waitrose said he would inquire if the store could run plastic bag free tills as some of the national chain's stores have done. However he said Waitrose's policy on bags is to leave it as a consumer choice.
Six-year-old Thomas, from Petersfield, read out a poem about the plight of seals while two pupils from The Petersfield School spoke eloquently about the need to protect the world for future generations.
One of them said: "It's important for the youth of Petersfield to get involved because it is our generation and it's our children and our children's children that will benefit. But for it to work it needs co-operation from everyone."
l Get in touch with the Greening Campaign via e-mail at: info@greening-campaign.co.uk The Post would also like to hear from any businesses supporting the ban on bags – contact 01730 232614.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Petersfield
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 26 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: West
