Shopping bags

• While you are shopping for your raw food ingredients why not just consider for a moment the shopping bag you are using?

• The issue of plastic debris, plastic bags and the environment is now actually worse in 2011 that it was a few years ago when so many documentaries highlighted the issue.

• What you do every day is your vote for the environment you want to help create.

Links

• "Without hope there is nothing, without opportunity there is no chance. But with faith, a seed of hope grows, opportunity comes and finally a chance blossoms..."
  Bags of Colour - Ethical, Eco Shopping Bags

• http://www.bethshepherd.com

• "There are many messages in the waves but the one we learned in Hawai‘i that we feel requires immediate attention is that of global plastic pollution. We have put this website together to provide some more information about the problem and how you as an individual can directly help!!! Please look at our action and links page for helpful tips. Take inspiration from towns in the UK that are now going plastic bag free due to watching this documentary. You see you can make a direct difference.!!"

• http://www.messageinthewaves.com

• "Packing on vegetables in supermarkets - ALWAYS TRY AND BUY LOOSE VEG AND FRUIT. Till operators are now used to people just putting vegetables loose into their basket."

• http://www.messageinthewaves.com/action...

• "Plastic made from mixed materials accounts for 45 billion wasted items each year."

• http://www.recycling-guide.org.uk

Make your own ...

• I came across this inspiring group at the UK AWARE 2009. The idea is you can make your own shopping bag. You can download the pattern from their website.

• http://www.morsbags.com

Is your town plastic bag free?

• Modbury "Despite its history, Modbury moves with the times, and it became the first 'no plastic bags' town in Britain.

• http://www.modburytic.org.uk/

• Brighton "The plastic bag is the most ubiquitous example of disposable plastic. But this site is concerned with the reduction of all disposable, single-use or short-term use plastic items and excess plastic packaging."

• http://www.plasticbagfreebrighton.co.uk/

• Aylsham "We are very gald to know that Aylsham is the first Plastic Bag Free town in Norfolk."

• http://www.aylshamplasticbagfree.co.uk/

• Selkirk "Plastic bag free Selkirk ..."

• http://www.selkirkplasticbagfree.co.uk/

• Emsworth "The committee of the EBA on behalf of its members and other business people in Emsworth, are encouraging the town to become "plastic bag free". In other words replacing plastic with bio degradable and "bags for life" which are recyclable."

• http://plasticbags.emsworthweb.co.uk/

• Godalming "We are a community group of Godalming residents campaigning to help the traders and shoppers of Godalming find a practical alternative to plastic bags. The vision is for a plastic bag free Godalming."

• http://www.godalmingplasticbagfree.co.uk/

... and many others!

Morgan Hoesterey Message in the Waves

World biggest garbage dump - plastic in the Ocean

My friend Beth has been working with the women in Sri Lanka to create these unique and rather beautiful shopping bags.

"A unique and colourful alternative to plastic bags, providing work for women in Sri Lanka, offering them a way forward towards a brighter future."

Bags of Colour

A couple of years ago, 2007 I think, I brought two of the bags below at the Camden Green Fair in Regents Park. I carry them with me in my pocket or my day bag everywhere I go. They have been used quite a lot. Each one folds down to less than the size of a couple of tomatoes. (I can squeeze one into 1/2C for the chefs amongst you)

Onya Bags

On Friday 17th April 2009 I went to the

UK AWARE ideas for greener living.

I came across this rather clever alternative to plastic fruit and veg bags. It's by the same people who made my parachute shopping bags.

Onya Weigh

"So you have remembered your reusable bags, but still need to use plastic for your fruit 'n' veg.....Not any more!"

The good news about this set five of bags is they can be used as nut milk bags. I have tried it with hemp seed. You do get a little of the very fine grain, but they work reasonably well. They should be great for almonds.