International Plastic Bag Free Day
The world's first Plastic Bag Free Day will be on the 12th September 2009. We are asking shoppers to ditch plastic bags for good! Just take a reusable bag with you when you shop.
Use our fantastic puffin posters to advertise International Plastic Bag Free day in your town! One poster is to advertise the day and the other poster has space to write what your town is doing!
We have also made a press release to help you advertise your town's events to the local media.
There are many ways you can support Plastic Bag Free day. Leave plastic bags at the checkout, help to make your town Plastic Bag Free or join in the celebrations at town's that have already stopped using plastic bags. You could also write to shops and supermarkets asking them to support the day.
Town's that are holding events to celebrate Plastic Bag Free day are shown below. More to come soon!
- Seaham | ||
- Selkirk | - Banchory | - Chesham |
- Brighton | - Overton | - Kew |
- Whitby | ||
- Ullapool | - Modbury | - Helston |
- Lambeth | - Pontypridd | - Bridgend |
- Kinrossshire | - Worthing | - Hebden Bridge |
- Doncaster | - Plymouth | - Wellington |
- Chepstow | - Abergeveny | - Monmouth |
- Newport | - Edinburgh | |
- Saltash | - Penrith | - Carmarthen |
- Southwark | - Langport | - Market Harborough |
- Netherfield | - Henfield | - North Berwick |
- Kingston | - Wychwoods | |
- Crediton | - Deal | |
- Leicester | - New Forest | - Berwick-upon-Tweed |
- Duns | - East Dunbartonshire | |
- Pensilva | - Callington | - High Wycombe |
- Falkirk | - Caerphilly | - Crickhowell |
| - Lerwick, Shetland | - Gloucester Road, Bristol | - Lutterworth |
Towns that are, or are planning to go, Plastic Bag Free are listed here. Click to see if your town is among them.
Please visit the 'No Baggage' website http://www.nomorebaggage.org to register that you or your town will be taking part in Plastic Bag Free day and to see the map of people taking part.
Below are towns further afield that we are aware are taking part in Plastic Bag Free day - truly an international day!
- Transition Cotati, California (USA) | - TransitionTown Hervey Bay, Queensland (Australia) |
- TowardsTransition Barraba (USA) | - Northampton, Western Aus (Australia) |
- Leaf Rapids, Manitoba (Canada) | - London, Ontario (Canada) |
- Hilltown Families, Massachusetts (USA) |
To keep up to date with what MCS is doing for Plastic Bag Free day, and our other work, why not sign up to our free e-newsletter? Click here | Watch HRH Prince Charles speech at MCS' jubilee celebration and hear his views on plastic in our seas here. |
Why should we all go Plastic Bag Free?
Each household in the UK uses 300 plastic bags every year. Even when we dispose of them correctly, plastic bags often get blown out of bins and landfill sites and end up littering our land and oceans. 
In the sea plastic bags look very similiar to jellyfish. Many marine animals, such as whales and turtles, accidentally eat the plastic bags but they can block their digestive systems and may cause them to starve to death.
MCS organises beach cleans and litter surveys and plastic items are the most commonly found items. Plastic litter has increased by 146% since 1994. In 2008 our volunteers found 8,174 plastic bags on just one weekend.
This has to stop, and it is easy to change. Join in on Plastic Bag Free day and ditch the plastic bags for good!
Plastic Bag Free in 5 easy steps!
1. Try and involve as many people as possible.
2. Have a public meeting to discuss all points that might cause problems.
3. Always charge for alternative bags at point of sale in a shop - this reduces the number of bags taken.
4. Set a date for the launch - it gives you something to work towards.
5. Stay positive and be patient!
> Click here to download the MCS Plastic Bag Free pack to help you make your town Plastic Bag Free
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