Over 200 petition to support High Street retailers giving up plastic bags

We already have over 200 names on our petition to support the High Street retailers in giving up plastic bags.

Paula is meeting with Barny Butterfield the Town Centre Manager this week to find out how the CCA plastic bag working group can best help him when he takes the proposal to the retailers in Crediton starting in January. Both Barny and Paula feel confident that, although there may be some obstacles to overcome, we can make Crediton Plastic bag free during the early part of 2008.

After meeting with Barny, Paula will be contacting the people who have agreed to help on the working party, to arrange a meeting in January.

More working party members are very welcome.

London votes to ban free plastic bags

Yesterday a fantastic step forward was made toward a national tax on plastic bags. The 33 London councils voted unanimously to ban the handing out of free plastic bags. Green England have been working closely with the London councils, and the petition was used as evidence for popular support for the levy.

What happens now?

The London Councils will deposit a private bill to the Houses of Parliament on 27th November. This will then be debated, voted on by MPs, and will hopefully come into law within 18 months.

What can I do?

Firstly, please keep encouraging others to sign the petition. It has already had an impact on the London councils' decision, and over the next 18 months could make a big difference on the MPs' votes. Secondly, please lobby your MP to request that they support the tax. It is their decision at the end of the day, so a quick letter, email or phone call from you could change their vote, and indeed the final outcome.

When you write to you MP, it would be a good idea to mention both the London Councils' decision and the petition, to give them a guide as to the level of popular support for the campaign. There are around 10,000 people on this email list, and only 647 MPs in the English parliament. If we all wrote to our MP, on average each would receive fifteen letters! That would lend a huge amount of credibility and support to the issue, so please take five minutes to call, email or write to your MP using this sample letter.

Plastic Carrier Bag News

We will shortly be convening the first meeting of the plastic carrier bag working group. It has the endorsement and support of the Chamber of Commerce, several Town Councillors, the Town Centre Manager and a growing number of the Crediton public who have been signing our plastic bag free Crediton supporters lists which are designed to show the retailers in Crediton that we would support their efforts if they stopped using plastic carriers.

Barny Butterfield the Town Centre Manager will be helping us with the campaign and we just learned yesterday that Tesco Express in Bovey Tracey has agreed to give up offering plastic carriers to its customers - a big break through that will be an excellent example for the multiples we have here. Also in case you haven't heard all 33 London Boroughs voted this week to ban plastic carriers and are supporting a private bill to this effect in Parliament. Great news all pointing in the right direction

You can write to your MP to urge them to support this bill by visiting Green England.

If you would like to help with our Crediton working party in some way and have not yet agreed to do so, please do get in touch with me.

Freecycle

Several people have replied to me regarding Freecycle all saying it is brilliant and a great way to dispose of unwanted stuff as well as find things you need. The Exeter site apparently covers a 25 mile radius around Exeter and people from Crediton and Sandford have used it recently to great effect. So probably no need for a separate Crediton site but a great web address to add to your favourites and to use when needed. Thanks to Kath Porter for raising this one last time and to Mike Brett, Anne Tucker and Caroline Ward for getting back to me.

Want to particpate in a BBC Sustainable Living Programme?

Thanks to Kate Povey who sent in the following. Not sure about the deadline but if you would be keen to participate it is worth getting in touch

I am recruiting potential volunteers for a television show in which people agree not to buy anything (except basic food, toiletries and medicine) for 6-12 months.  The show will investigate shopping addiction, consumer culture, debt, and the impact of consumerism on the environment The volunteers would be encouraged to barter, forage, or trade skills to procure the extra things they needed.  The presenter, Robert Llewellyn (currently undergoing his own year of not buying anything), would serve as an encouragement to the volunteers, providing any support and resources needed.

This show is not meant to be an exploitive journalistic piece about irresponsible people- it is meant to help people all over the UK by encouraging them to stop unecessary spending.  This show is my baby- I have always dreamed of re-starting a bartering culture/economy and helping the environment.  I know it could have a really encouraging impact on the UK.

Could I be cheeky and ask for your advice on where I could go to find volunteers?  I have trawled through a lot of financial and envinromental forums, groups on myspace and facebook, and emailed contributors of newspaper and magazine articles.  Perhaps I am missing something?  Do you know of anyone specifically who might be interested in benefitting from participating in this project?

Amanda Graham

We are setting up an action group to do just this.

Everyone is welcome to come to the planning meeting. Bring your ideas and enthusiasm for an inspiring evening.

If you would like to see more about why we are starting this campaign have a look at Message in the Waves and find out more about the truly awful consequences of our plastic carrier culture.

There are now several communities in Devon who have formed groups concerned with climate change and the number is growing all the time. Some have called themselves ŒTransition Towns such as Moretonhampstead and 
Totnes, others as Climate Action groups like Crediton and Bovey Tracey and others are either looking at single issues such as Modbury banning  plastic bags or Chagford with action on sustainable energy. 

Many of these groups are also looking at reuse, recycle and composting issues. We feel as coordinators of the two networks that we really must help and support these groups and any other parishes and groups that feel that they want to take positive action for the benefit of their communities and the planet. 

Obviously our immediate expertise and interest is in Reuse, Recycling and Composting but much of the experience we have is transferable to any community group.