This web-page was kindly donated to us by the
Alrewas Show.

Quick links:
About the Alrewas Force of Nature campagin
The latest developments
Common questions we've been asked so far...
Borrow our 'Message in the Waves' DVD for your group/committee

The Alrewas plastic bag campaign...

Majority of our village shops are all-aboard! Our newsagents are mainly using paper bags. Leavesleys garage are using degradeable bags. Peter Coates are using degradable bags in both carrier-type and the small ones to put meat in. The Cantonese are yet to make enquiries into plastic bag alternatives. Mango are using degradable Aveda bags, the pharmacy already use paper bags and cardboard boxes. Crackpotz have always used paper bags and packaging. The fish and chip shop always use paper wrapping and paper bags, and the Co-op have made changes to the availablity of plastic bags - as well as giving us enough free cotton bags which were delivered to every household in the village - distributed by a wonderful band of volunteers! We would like to extend our hearfelt thanks to everyone who got involved to distribute the 1500 bags around the village in a single wet weekend!

Together, we really can make our beautiful village plastic bag free!

It's not easy to change the habits of a lifetime and remember our shopping bags when we go out, but here are a few handy ideas and suggestions to help you...
- keep them in a handy storage place, like the car.
- hang them on your coat stand
- place them in the push-chair
- keep them next to the door
- keep them near your keys
- keep them in the porch
Above all, make it a habit to 'carry-a-bag'.

FREE COTTON BAGS FOR ALL!

We would like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who volunteered to deliever the free Co-op cotton shopping bags during March 2008. Your support is very much appreciated, and we're sure that every household in Alrewas are happily using their cotton bags!

The children's poster competition winners...

Well done to Alrewas' youngest eco-warriors! The children's campaign poster competition in early 2008 was a fantastic success, with the winning design chosen by Nigel Moss of Alrewas Civic Society. Keep an eye out for these designs appearing on a noticeboard near you!

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It's a sad fact...

Remember to CARRY-A-BAG when you go shopping
and help save the lives of animals like these

Borrow our 'Message in the Waves' DVD
Rebecca Hosking, the BBC camerawoman who convinced the retailers of Modbury to become totally plastic bag free was sent to film the terrible effects that plastic bags have on wildlife. This DVD is her film of the events. We have a copy that we are happy to lend to groups/committes in Alrewas and surrounding villages. Please email us if you would like to reserve the disk.

About us...

The Alrewas Force of Nature campaign was put together to encourage retailers in Alrewas to become totally plastic-bag-free, help the environment and retain the wonderful community atmosphere in this beautiful village. We are also want to ensure that as many local people as possible become aware of their environmental responsibilities and to demonstrate just how easy it is to live without plastic carrier bags.

You too can help reduce the amount of plastic bags you use:

• Re-use your bags as much as possible.
• Recycle your plastic carrier bags - rather than sending them to landfill.
• Use re-useable shopping bags for every trip - instead of more plastic bags

Several villages in the UK have successfully become 100% plastic-bag-free, and we hope that Alrewas can also live up to these traditional shopping ideals - as well as attracting even more custom to the area.

Common questions we've been asked so far...

What’s in it for me?

Using fewer plastic bags, your black bin will be less full. In the next couple of years local councils are going to phase-out black bin collection altogether. So let’s get one step ahead of them!

From around Christmas 2008, most supermarkets will start charging for plastic carrier bags. So it’s best to save money by investing in a shopping bag now.

And... from 2010, the government is likely to put a tax on plastic carrier bags.

What do I use to line my pedal/swing bin?

Ask your local village shops to supply eco-friendly pedal bin liners, and black bin liners. Where there’s demand the shops will supply!

Lichfield council are the UK’s leader in recycling. You can now even recycle all of your food waste in your brown bin – so there shouldn’t be much left for your black bin, reducing the need for a bin liner.

In the meantime you can purchase eco-friendly products from various places, including:
Sainsburys online and in store – garden sacks, compostable caddy bin liners, Ocado online and in store - swing bin liners, pedal bin liners, refuse sacks, garden refuse sacks, www.goodnessdirect.co.uk – refuse sacks, nappy /dog poop bags, food freezer bags, swing bin liners, wheelie bin liners, pedal bin liners, swing bin liners, www.turtlebags.co.uk, www.nigelsecostore.com, www.thegreenstoreonline.co.uk

How do I clear up after my dog?

Ask your local village shops to supply eco-friendly poop scoops. Where there’s demand the shops will supply!

In the meantime you can purchase them online from many websites, including: www.goodnessdirect.co.uk

What about large black bin-liners?

We are researching suppliers of biodegradable bin liners too, and hope that our local shops will stock them so that everyone can make an informed choice about which type to purchase. In the meantime, it is possible to buy environmentally friendlly black bin liners online.

What if I don't remember to take my shopping bag to the shops?

No problem - already, our shops stock 'bags for life' and re-usable cotton bags. We have contacted suppliers of biodegradeable carrier bags to encourage our shops to stock these instead of plastic ones. The bio-bags look exactly the same as usual white carriers, are waterproof, and can hold the same weight of goods too.

Can I put bio-bags in my brown bin?

Unfortunatley not. We have contacted Lichfield council, and as the bio-bags take a little longer to degrade than garden waste and food waste they cannot put them together. Also - bio-bags cannot be put in your plastic recycling bin as they would contaminate the other plastic. They can be disposed of in your black bin (after re-using them several times), or they can be placed on your compost heap where they will degrade in about 30 days.

I've got more plastic bags than I know what to do with - how can I get them recycled?

There was a change in the law in late 2007 concerning the use and recycling of plastic carrier bags. You can now take them back to the store for recycling. Also Lichfield council are rolling-out their plans for recycling carrier bags in their weekly recycling collections too.

Thank you for your support!

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