when we got back to Msia and were in Penang, i was pleasantly surprised that the state has declared a ‘no plastic bag day’ for every Mondays and Thursdays. i’m unsure to what extent this campaign is or how closely it’s being followed by the various businesses in Penang, but Jusco sure was one of the active participants. we were shopping there and since it was a Thursday, we had to buy a shopping bag to carry our purchased items; reminds us so much of Brats coz that’s what Ayl and I do every weekend for grocery shopping. we carry our own organic shopping bag, or we use our own trolley and load it into our boot. so seeing my beloved homeland starting out this campaign gives me a good and proud feeling, though i have no doubt that those who do not have this kind of mentality would be cursing away at the hassle and inconvenience of it all.
why the bother all of a sudden? we’ve been using plastic bags for centuries and things have remained the same ever since!
what difference will one plastic bag make?
then what am i going to use for my rubbish?
anyways, i brought back the Jusco shopping bag to Kuching and had in mind to use it when i go to supermarkets or grocery shopping. i definitely didn’t notice it before until i took the shopping bag with me one day and asked the cashier to put my items into the bag instead of the plastic bag – it’s a norm for most Kuching supermarkets to tie a plastic string around the loaded plastic bag (shut tight); so that it cannot be opened unless it’s cut, so that ppl don’t steal. at that time with me at the register, the cashier had to ask ‘the person in charge’ (of security i guess) if she could upload my purchased items into the shopping bag i produced. i suppose they were really confused by my request, but he gave the nod of approval after checking me out. i must seem honest enough.
there was another funny incident that happened here in Kuching as well. i was buying something (can’t recall what exactly) and at the cashier’s, i told the lady i won’t need the plastic bag coz i can easily put it in my bag and to my surprise she asked me ‘why?’
errrr….. for one main reason is because i simply don’t need a plastic bag for something i can easily put into my bag. i don’t need to have a layer of plastic for everything i buy, esp if i already have something that can carry it on its own, otherwise my bare hands will do too.
let’s think GREEN!