Oban Plastic Bag Free shops

© Photos: MPJ, Sept. 2008

This a list of Oban shops and businesses who already sell their own reusable bags,
and/or have pledged to do so, and/or hand out only paper bags (in alphabetical order):

• Albany newsagent and convenience store (01631 564635) -- have stopped handing out plastic bags and provide organic cotton reusable bags for a modest amount of money.
• Bolliwood (walnut carvings, furniture & Pashmina suppliers) -- do not provide plastic bags; owner changed to paper bags after a conversation with the local street cleaner who showed her what plastic rubbish can do.
• Boots (chemists) -- have reusable cotton bag, proceeds go to a charity.
• Cancer Research Oban (01631 563 296): only hand out plastic bags they have received themselves and have reportedly never bought any plastic bags for the shop
• Coop Oban (supermarket; The Co-operative Food, Oban) -- the first supermarket to sell a reusable bag made of organic cotton; sadly, they also give away free "disposable" plastic bags.
• Homebase Oban -- provide brown paper bags.
• Island Design -- owner provides paper bags only and offers recycled plastic bags to customers who request a plastic bag.
• Kitchen Garden (delicatessen & café -- have an impressive display illustrating the nefarious effects of plastic on the environment -- well worth a visit! They were the first shop in Oban to pledge to a plastic bag free shopping experience.
Taken from their website: “The Kitchen Garden has decided that it can no longer be party to the huge proliferation of plastic that is inflicting so much damage to all life forms, especially those in the marine environment. Therefore, once our current supply runs out (estimated to be November 2008) we will no longer be issuing plastic bags to our customers. This alone will see 50,000 fewer plastic bags a year in circulation in Oban and beyond. It is our intention to replace all our plastic products, not just the bags with environmentally friendly, renewable alternatives over the next 12 months.”

Click on the photo for an enlarged view. You will then be able to read the caption: "To give an example of how long plastic lasts in the ocean. In 2001 a piece of plastic found in an albatross stomach bore a serial number that was traced to a World War II seaplane shot down in 1944 (US Fish & Wildlife)"
Have pledged to change to biodegradable plastic over the next few months, including packaging (see their website).
© Photograph: MPJ

• Millstone (Health and Wholefood) -- hand bags out on request; also provide strong cotton bags for £2.00 each, and sell string bags from local string bag producer Annabel Gregory.
• Oxfam Oban (01631 566465) -- have a non-plastic bag policy (but hand them out quite freely).
• Tesco's (supermarket with a credit point system for regular customers who bring their own bags, a good idea -- sadly, they also have tons of thin plastic bags on the checkout counters).
• Waterstone's (bookshop)
• Whitmore and Hamilton (gifts and jewellery etc. made in Scotland) -- still hand bags out on customer request but strongly support initiative and are interested in changing when bag stock is depleted.
• ...

and many more -- come back for updates to the list as more shops join up.

What do you people think out there? Should we list the shops that hand out plastic bags without asking and/or offer plastic bags rather than ask, "Do you need a bag?" ?