WIN GREAT PRIZES
QUEENSLAND’S ban on plastic bags will be “sew” good for the environment.
The Cairns and Far North Environment Centre and more than 100 volunteers have been busy stitching together about 700 free reusable bags, made from recycled materials, in anticipation of single-use lightweight plastic shopping bags being banned statewide from July 1, 2018.
The ban aims to cut down on an estimated 16 million lightweight plastic shopping bags that enter the environment in Queensland each year.
The Boomerang Bags initiative, which started in Burleigh Heads, has resulted in vast quantities of materials being donated to CAFNEC since it launched early this year.
A large delivery of white sheets donated from a local hotel, that would have otherwise gone to waste, was taken in by students from Gordonvale State School, tie-dyed, fabric-painted, and returned to the centre to be sewn into colourful, bright bags.
CAFNEC community engagement co-ordinator Bess Murphy said the bags would form part of the collection that were to be given away to the public, completely free.
“The Queensland bag ban is a beautiful marriage for us with this initiative,” she said.
“We’ll be able to go out and have conversations with people about waste, and give away these wonderful bags.
“Each bag is unique and they are beautiful, too.
“It feels a nice thing to be able to launch the project in the holiday season and give away the bags with some Christmas cheer.” Grab a free Boomerang Bag from CAFNEC at Rusty’s Markets on Sheridan St, Cairns this weekend.