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Matakana shoppers will be offered reusable fabric bags instead of plastic ones next month in a bid to set the town on a path to becoming a plastic bag-free zone.
Josie Jackson of Whangaripo is the founder of the ‘boomerang bag’ scheme, where if people don’t have their own reusable shopping bag on them, they can borrow a fabric bag and return it next time they are in town.
She is currently seeking help to make the 200-plus bags needed to help make the honesty system viable.
“It’s super exciting, but we need help with sewing and cutting the “borrow and return” bags to help the town start the process of becoming plastic bag-free,” she says.
A sewing bee (complete with teacher) is being held in the back room of the Matakana Community Hall from 6pm to 9pm on Thursday June 15, or there are bag kits available at Matakana School and the local Four Square for people who prefer to sew at home.
Matakana Four Square manager Damian Langley says he is keen to give the scheme a go throughout July and beyond. The launch coincides with a wider initiative called Plastic Free July, which aims to cut single-use plastic bag, bottle and container use across 130 countries.
Josie says she aims to support shops through July and over the coming year to sustain Matakana as plastic bag-free, and she is hoping people from other local towns will pick up the idea for their communities.
Info: Zero Waste Matakana Coast on Facebook
