Get rid of the Plastic Bag in Phuket!

image used with permission - Green Fins

In an attempt to reduce the environmental damage caused by the use of plastic bags, retailers across Phuket will be handing out 840,000 free cloth shopping bags over 84 days to commemorate the 84th Birthday Anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

This cloth shopping bag project has been seriously embraced by many companies and they have all requested their staff to strictly enforce the policy AND staff will be rewarded for their adherence to the scheme.

The goal is one that seems to be an insurmountable mountain, especially when one considers the amount of plastic bags that each of us gathers in a day - a single trip to a 7-11 convenience store equals an average of three bags as they insist on bagging every item separately; (and many of us stop by several times a day).  If you buy a lot of food from the street stalls that's another plastic bag extravaganza – but do we really need all those plastic bags OR is there an alternative?