No more free plastic bags on Wednesdays
By sweet_pea
@sweet_pea (3322)
Philippines
September 29, 2010 1:40am CST
What's your say guys on this DENR program to promote reusable bags?
You see starting next week , major shopping malls & supermarkets namely Ayala Malls , Ever Mall, Hi-Top Supermarket, Isetann Malls, Makro, Robinsons Sueprmarket, SM- Savemore,Hypermarket & Supermarket, will charge plastic bags every Wednesday. They would also give incentive to shoppers who will use reusable bags.
I'm so for it! I have been using the green bags of SM every time I do my groceries.
I think it's time to be conscious and to take part in caring for our environment so as to avoid another Ondoy in the future.
2 people like this
12 responses
@hippiemomdiaries (815)
• Philippines
30 Sep 10
Why Wednesdays only? I think malls should impose this already every single day. In this way, shoppers will imbibe the discipline to carry their own shopping bags. Hongkong, and I think other countries are already imposing. When I travelled to HK, I was surprised that a plastic bag cost an arm and a leg. Of course, I didn't want this to eat into my shopping budget. From then on, I carried my own shopping bag. It's indeed high time we do it here in the Philippines. It's just a matter of discipline.
@jennbart (1330)
• Philippines
30 Sep 10
Hi,
I think the owners are just preparing us all for that kind of concept in the future. But for now, they will just let us bring plastics every wed. If people gets used to it already, they will impose that everyday in the future. Giving people ample time to get used to the idea. :) But I am for it! :)
@jennbart (1330)
• Philippines
1 Oct 10
well, that is already one of the things they are trying to do. But what I meant was before they implement that bag week is they are preparing us for bringing our own plastics one day at at time. They wont implement that in 1 day, they are just waiting for people to get used to the idea of bringing bags.. so that it would not be so sudden for us in the future should they implement it weekly. :) cheers!
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
30 Sep 10
Hi jennbart, I think by this program, they are not telling us to bring plastics every wednesday because it is not free. It is telling us that by doing away with plastics even just for a day, we are saving the environment. I sure wish, that this activity would extend for the rest of the week and to stall owners in the flea market.
@homeshoppers (6166)
• Philippines
29 Sep 10
its a no no for me... what if you forgot to bring bags for your groceries? which of course we cant avoid it. then it means we will pay for bag? its additional expenses to our part instead of giving us savings. besides, i dont think we have good shopping bags at home.
@nicajoice (188)
• Philippines
29 Sep 10
They'd have to put your goods in a paper bag.^^ or in a box if they are too heavy. Just don't forget to bring your own shopping bag.. It's our little way of keeping our world clean and green.. :)
@homeshoppers (6166)
• Philippines
29 Sep 10
you mean they will change it to paper bag and no longer plastic bag. i guess thats great, i guess some country uses the same method. but if its heavy then we really need to bring plastic bag.
@tinkerputt (33)
• Philippines
30 Sep 10
Before, my husband and I were not aware about the My Own Bag of SM Supermarket every Wednesday (as we always do our grocery at Shopwise), one time we decided to try out SM on a Wednesday, and we were surprised that there are no plastic bags at all! They asked us if just want to put it in paper bag or boxes, since we had 2 carts full, of course, we opted for the boxes :D which was really neat, makes it easier to carry when we get home instead of lugging all the plastic bags, and boxes are easier to keep and can be reusable.
It's a step to helping the environment. and I think it really is a great idea.
Kudos to the DENR program!
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
30 Sep 10
Yeah, I hope they can come up with other projects. I heard about Barangay Bagumbayan in Quezon City which use their garbage for building concrete bricks. I hope they can develop that technology and apply it to all barangays in the Philippines.
@o0jopak0o (6394)
• Philippines
29 Sep 10
well i dont know who it works, i know that those green bags are not for free. if you think about it, they are much expensive than those plastic bags.
@o0jopak0o (6394)
• Philippines
1 Oct 10
well not all stuff in there are yellow savers. when i shop alone i usually shop what i want and not those that i need like chips and such and those stuff i think are not yellow savers.
if i can remember correctly you need to accumulate 300 php then the bag is priced as 100php i think.
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
30 Sep 10
I didn't bought mine though. They just give them at SM for buying items tagged as yellow savers.
@jennbart (1330)
• Philippines
30 Sep 10
its ok for me. What is ONE day in a week to bring your own bag anyway? right? Now, as for the people who will say NO just because " WHAT IF YOU FORGET?" well, how about "STASH PLASTIC BAGS IN YOUR TRUNK" hello!!!! forget? then do SOMETHING dum dum!! people can be so negative over some petty things such as questions like that its as if they cant do something else for them NOT TO FORGET it. ( stupid!) bringing my bags on wed is no biggie! give something back to mother earth. Forgetting to bring a bag is NOT an EXCUSE! :)small things like this will make a big difference to our earth.
@jennbart (1330)
• Philippines
30 Sep 10
now, if people will FORGET to bring a plastic bag... PAY FOR THE BAGS! We went to SM megamall and found out that no paperbag already available. We bought 2 more environmentally friendly bags as the plastic bags we brought with us was not enough for our groceries. We stashed the 2 reusable bags in the trunk already so that we will just bring them out of the trunk on wed. They are making us pay for the bags so that we will not forget about bringing one next time. They are teaching the people a lesson. Paying is the consequence for forgetting. :) In HK they also do this on Wed.In addition, we are being taught NOT TO BE LAZY to bring a bag.
@starrose_ara (784)
• Philippines
30 Sep 10
Thank you for that information. I was half listening when they flash the said information on TV coz I'm making preparations to go to the office. If it will help the environment I'm all for it. It will be helpful to fold them and place them inside my shoulder bag so that the next time I shop I'm well armed.
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
30 Sep 10
I just heard about it over the radio while traveling. It is really a good cause.
@bev_arch_20 (842)
• Philippines
29 Sep 10
Thumbs up to DENR for implementing this. It’s about time that we should do this; everyone will have their share in saving our environment. Using reusable bags is indeed environment friendly. If you’re not used in bringing reusable bag, you will eventually get used to it. They also do this here in Malaysia, and I too always forgot to bring reusable bag whenever I go for groceries, it took sometimes to finally inculcate in my mind to bring reusable bags for groceries, now im used to it and wont spent a cents for the plastic bag. I think it’s also a part of being a responsible shopper.
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
30 Sep 10
Most people here in my country, don't have much environmental awareness, not until we were hit by Typhoon Ondoy last year which resulted to flooding in most areas in Metro Manila.
@blungel0830 (841)
• Philippines
29 Sep 10
This is a good start towards lessening non-biodegradable waste. But then I think the plastic bags that usually clog the waterways are not the ones that come from big supermarkets. Most of these plastic bags are the ones that come from wet markets, sari-sari stores, and flea markets. I hope that these stores will also follow suit.
People should also be taught how to recycle used plastic bags. I have crocheted plastic bags into reusable shopping bags and pouches and decors.
Let us all Reduce, Reuse, Recycle not only plastic bags but other non-biodegradable wastes as well.
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
30 Sep 10
Wow! I commend you blungel for being so creative in recycling. Maybe you can have additional income from it.
@nicajoice (188)
• Philippines
29 Sep 10
I think this is a very good way for ordinary citizens to be involved in keeping our environment clean. In Korea, they always pay whenever they want to use plastic bags for their groceries... we should start doing the same thing. We are all aware of the disadvantages of using plastic bags too often, we just ignore the facts. It's time to do our own small good deeds in order to save this planet.
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
29 Sep 10
I agree. In other countries they use paper bags, not plastics. I hope this extends not only for a day in the future, but for the rest of the week. Until we get the habit of using paper bags already. I think it's time to revived our bayongs. That's what they do in the old days when there are no plastics.
@shiellamaenies (169)
• United States
29 Sep 10
thats great!!!it can help to make clean some area in our country..no more bunches of plastic bags everywhere,could be a big help and care for our environment
@sweet_pea (3322)
• Philippines
30 Sep 10
According to DENR data, 80% of the trash received from our country's shoreline came from non-biodegradable materials like plastics. They also clog our drainage systems and waterways. With this program, they are expected to save 6 million plastic bags per week.
@chrixopher75 (53)
• United States
30 Sep 10
I think this is great. I would really be for it if all grocery stores around the country agreed to do this maybe even more than once a week. If people are against this then they really would come off as selfish to be perfectly honest. We should all be using reusable bags and paper bags regardless of being given incentive to do so.
