Bag Free Islands
LETS MAKE A DIFFERENCE
With your help, Mull and Iona could be the first islands to become plastic bag free. Every year 17.5 billion plastic bags are used, this is over 290 bags for each person in the UK. And over 820,000 used by residents of Mull and Iona, not taking into account what is used by visitors to the islands. Although some bags are used again as waste basket liners, this is only delaying their unavoidable journey to our only landfill site (or the ‘tip’) on the island.
A small group called Bag Free Islands (B.F.I.) has been formed to try to help Mull and Iona become plastic bag free. Their aim is to promote an alternative to the plastic bag, with the support of the Mull and Iona Chamber of Commerce, the RSPB and Mull and Iona Community Trust. The alternative is a biodegradable bag made from corn or potato starch which rots down completely, leaving no harmful toxins and can be put straight onto your compost heap. The Island Bakery, in Tobermory already offers biobags which are fully bio-degradable. Beware of bags described as degradable, which sounds good but in fact all it means is that it will degrade into smaller pieces of plastic which are just as harmful. Sea birds and mammals are especially affected by this plastic which is mistakenly taken as food and, over a period of time, has fatal consequences. Evidence of this was found recently here on the Mull shores, and local wild life film maker Gordon Buchanan (eagle island) gives B.F.I. his full endorsement recognising its importance for the islands and our environment.
Free Shopping Bag -
We can manage without the plastic bag by using alternatives, like the biobags or the good old fashioned shopping bag. B.F.I. with help from the MESS Project (part of the Community Trust) will be offering every house holder on Mull and Iona, a free jute shopping bag. These will be available free of charge through the MESS projects Island Castaways Charity Shops in the near future, and have been specially designed for Mull and Iona – look out for more details in the coming months.
B.F.I. has also contacted every shopkeeper to ask for their support with this initiative, and have been encouraged by the positive response. With the backing of the retailer and your help, we could break the plastic bag habit. Simply take your shopping bag with you each time you shop and encourage your local shop to minimize the use of plastic carrier bags, or even better, use biodegradable bags instead.
Towns, such as Modbury in Devon have proved that it is possible to go plastic bag free, so here on Mull and Iona it shouldn’t be too difficult. Lets be proud to change our plastic bag habits, and actively make our islands more environmentally friendly.
If you would like to find out more about Bag Free Islands, or would like to get involved, contact
Helen Mortley, Calgary
Tel. 01688 400259 Email. andyhelen.frachadil@virgin.net
Mairi MacKinnon, MESS Project
Tel. 01688 302990 or 01680 812 526 Email. mairi.mess@mict.co.uk