The rate of bringing 'My Bag' reached 85.3% after six months

Oita Godo Newspaper (December 18, 2009 14:31)

The movement of charging for plastic shopping bags (stop free distribution) inside the prefecture began in June this year. The prefecture announced the result of the movement, the rate of bringing own bags or so-called 'my bag' after 6 months - the end of November, on December 17. At 28 food stores and other 219 outlets participating, the average rate of bringing own bag was brought about up to 85.3%. Except for Himejima village and Kokonoe town, where there are no stores have joined the movement, the rest of 16 participating towns have all successfully reached the goal of 80%.

The rate of "person bringing own bag" has been calculated as equal to no. of customers who did not buy plastic shopping bags (no. of total customers minus no. of plastic shopping bag buyers) from June 1 to November 30. The total rate found out for six months was then calculated to the monthly rate in the prefecture, which is approximately 80%.

Looking at the rate as of November separately in each municipality, the highest is Taketa - 89.9%, followed by the cities of Usuki and Tsukumi (both 89.0%), Kitsuki (87.7%), and Saeki (86.4%) respectively.

According to a summary of the province, the consumption of plastic shopping bags at participating stores is about 934 million bags in six months. If assume that one customer used one plastic bag before the charging movement - then the reduction of the consumption was about 4887 million bags (no. of total customers minus no. of plastic shopping bags).

Comment: As everyone knows, the carbon dioxide is bad for the environment. It generates the global warming and others which then bring about bad effects to creatures' lives. Yet, many careless or selfish people still do not care about it. Please do not presume that doing just a little this like stated in this news cannot help much; because that's wrong - it helps a lot. Each person does a little (or the most as you can in the best case) and everyone does, the world will surely be conserved. Finally, I wish for the great conclusion of COPENHAGEN Climate Conference 2009.

PUNTHUCHAT Siripun

Thailand

APS4, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University