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Talking Rubbish column: 28th February
They are the must-have accessory for every environmentally-aware person – and now Wiltshire’s very own alternative to plastic bags have been given a makeover.
The new Recycle for Wiltshire green jute bags are biodegradable, ethically made and carbon neutral making them the greenest the council has sold.
The average number of plastic bags in a UK family’s household is 16 but 40% of households have more than 40 bags at any one time. Since each one can take an estimated 1,000 years to decompose the less we can use the better.
Alternatives to plastic bags have become ever-more popular with the Modbury bag from Devon proving a fashion hit.
Closer to home and several communities in Wiltshire have already made their own commitment to phasing out plastic bags. From January 1 this year Tisbury went plastic-free while Colerne introduced its own reusuable bags more than a year ago and Malmesbury is considering becoming a plastic bag-free town.
Some 20,000 of the original Recycle for Wiltshire jute bags have been distributed since they were first introduced just over two years ago.
Following feedback from residents, the new version comes with more comfortable luxury handle. They are excellent value at £1.25 and are available from all county libraries. They also have the website address www.recycleforwiltshire.com on them so people can easily remember where to find out all they need to know about recycling locally.
The bags are still totally recyclable and can be composted as they are made of the same hard-wearing practical material.
Just how practical will be demonstrated by fashion students at Wiltshire College.
They have been set the challenge of designing and making contemporary garments or accessories using the reusable bags and to promote the importance of conserving resources. The project will form part of coursework to be exhibited at the annual end of the year fashion show.
Helen Chivers, fashion tutor at the college, said: “Our fashion students are highly innovative and resourceful. This project gives them the perfect opportunity to display their creative talents.
“The concept is a huge challenge and the material from these bags gives them a great canvas to experiment with. I hope the resulting ideas will help inspire people to think about how they can reuse materials.”
ENDS
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