An addition to Whanganui's positive reputation I'd like to see, reinforcing our growing strength in sustainability, is to go plastic-bag free. We could join Tasmania, plastic bag-free since November 2013, and Hawaii, going plastic bag-free this month. One of my new year's resolutions is to remember to take my reusable bags when I do the grocery shopping. I've got a reusable lightweight bag in my handbag for odd bits and pieces and they carry heaps more weight than a standard shopping bag, but I seem to often forget my grocery ones. An outright ban would help me remember!
Before the cynical among us question the practicality of a ban, our island neighbours have thought this through. The Tasmanian legislation still allows biodegradable bags, like those introduced at the river traders market in 2013, as well as resealable ziplock bags and plastic as part of packaging of bread and frozen foods. In Hawaii, supermarkets will still provide plastic bags for bulk bin items too.
Other places in New Zealand are investigating this including Dunedin, Kaikoura, Golden Bay and Grey Lynn. I can imagine a not-too-distant future where our children find it hard to believe we were so lazy to accept these bags in a zombie-like state when asked "do you want a bag?" And while some of us reuse our plastic bags or drop them at the recycling centre, Australian research shows that 75 per cent go straight to landfill after one use, simply carrying those groceries from the shop to the car to the house. If you want a laugh about society's challenge with plastic bags, search on YouTube for the ABC's Gruen Transfer and plastic bags. This Australian TV series takes a critical look at the advertising industry and in each episode they give advertising agencies a challenge, including selling the benefits of plastic bags. While it might make you laugh, I'm sure we can adapt to life without the tumbleweed of the 21st century.
Finally, back on my climate change bandwagon. I was impressed with Rosemary Penwarden's powerful piece in the Chronicle earlier this week where she wrote about aged care, inequality and climate change. It was published the same week more dross from Rodney Hide appeared in the NZ Herald. Hide demonstrated a lack of understanding of the difference between weather and climate when he wrote about the ship stuck in Antarctic ice. Climate change doesn't mean every day is warmer - in general terms it means a warming on average plus more weather extremes.
To finish, a Chinese proverb I came across that could apply to both plastic bags and climate change: "If we do not change our direction, we are likely to end up where we are headed."
