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  The Straits Times 9 Jun 06
Some shoppers switch from plastic to reusable bags
by Shermaine Wong

ABOUT two in every 100 shoppers here now take their own bags when they head to the supermarket to buy groceries.

Since the launch of a national campaign in February to cut down on the use of plastic bags, supermarket chains and retailers including FairPrice and Carrefour have also sold some 75,000 reusable bags. Mr Ong Seng Eng, head of the National Environment Agency (NEA) resource conservation department, welcomed growing public awareness of this issue as the NEA and its partners marked World Environment Day this week.

'The percentage may be small but it is an important step in the right direction. We need to sustain the campaign message and convince more shoppers to switch to reusable bags,' he said.

Last year, Singaporeans used 2.5 billion plastic bags. The more plastic bags are used, the more energy and raw materials are needed to produce them. This contributes to the release of greenhouse gases, which is linked to climate change, the NEA said.

Ms Christina Choo, an executive secretary in her 40s who has made the switch from plastic and takes her own bag when she goes shopping, has this suggestion: 'I think more people will use reusable bags if retailers reward those who bring their own bags.'

This view is seconded by Mr Yatin Premchand, senior manager of the Singapore Environment Council. 'Since most supermarkets already reward customers who shop with them, they can expand the scope to reward people who bring their own bags,' he said.

Meanwhile, a brother and sister team have designed two reusable bags for groceries and fast food take-out with special features to better meet consumers' needs.

Architecture student Melvin Wong, 20, has come up with a bag that has a built-in compartment so shoppers can separate wet and dry groceries. He was inspired after seeing supermarket shoppers ask for extra plastic bags to separate their purchases.

His younger sister Serene, 17, a student at Anderson Junior College, hopes her creation will help cut back on the use of small plastic bags at fast-food restaurants. Her carrier can hold burgers and fries and has two pockets to hold two medium-size drinks upright.

FairPrice has expressed interest in these bags and the Singapore Environment Council is keen to help the siblings promote their creations.
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