Oban Plastic Bag Free! Initiative launched

A public-private initiative was launched on Friday, August 29, 2008, to make Oban plastic-bag free.

The initiators were gratified to welcome to the launch meeting Ms Elaine Robertson (Councillor for Health), Ms Terry Donovan (organiser of the forthcoming ABREEF Environment Fair – http://www.argyllcommunities.org/ABREEF/) and Mr Bob McIllwraith (of ALIenergy – http://www.alienergy.org.uk/), some shop owners, as well as numerous members of the public.

The next photo shows the current committee members holding easily available reusable alternatives:

Margaret Powell (holding a wee woven basket from the Scottish Basketmakers' Circle, an organic cotton bag from Coop and an onya bag);
GRAB Trust (http://www.grab.org.uk/) coordinator, Julie Fairbrass (holding a morsbag); and
Astrid Horward, Eco-Promotion, holding a basket from the Scottish Basketmakers' Circle and a 100% compostable, fully biodegradable bag from BioBags Scotland
(photograph © by Carlo Beuger)

Of course we are hoping to make an impact and bring all the businesses of Oban on board.

Some sources of local and sustainable alternatives are (in no particular order):
• Pip Weaser of Kilmelford
artist and facilitator of the Scottish Basketmakers' Circle: http://www.scottishbasketmakerscircle.org; baskets grown and made in Argyll (baskets made by her group can be seen in the photo below, left)
• Annabel Gregory of Easdale Island

hand-made knitted and crocheted bags made from sustainably sourced jute (her bags in photo below, right)Annabel holding one of her knitted jute bags
(© photograph: MPJ)

• "Smile In Argyll" (an Oban artist) = pod no. 90 of morsbags sociable guerilla bagging: http://www.morsbags.com

(Photograph © MPJ)

• BioBags (Scotland) Ltd, Inverurie, Scotland
fully biodegradable, compostable carrier bags and more: http://www.biobags.co.uk (the ones in top right corner in photo below)

(Photograph © MPJ)

• onyabags for light-weight reusable bags made of parachute silk (sadly, not biodegradable); they also supply fully biodegradable bags: http://www.onyabags.co.uk
• ecomundi are the suppliers of the "Turtle Bag" (natural and coloured organic cotton string bags; see top right in photo below); also have lots of recyclable, biodegradable products: http://www.ecomundi.co.uk/eco/shop.php?cat=56

(Photograph © MPJ)

And for those of you who are reading this blog from across the Atlantic, i.e. in the U.S. of A., here's a supplier of organic cotton bags in the U.S., probably one of the first of its kind in the New World:
• ecobags -- the name says it all (they have a great website, by the way, with loads more information)
http://www.ecobags.com

We will be more than happy to provide contact details for people who don't have websites. Just send in a comment. NOTE: All comments are monitored, no commentator's details will be published here.

Finally, a website that lists loads of shops and businesses that sell reusable and recycled products. Check it out for yourself: http://www.sort-it.org.uk

Biodegradable, sustainable, non-plastic alternatives:
containers for big parties and the fast-food culture
(not that that is what I would particularly recommend) ...
(Photograph © MPJ)

We look forward to hearing from you!