FROM THE EDITOR

Plastic - it’s almost like a swear word now isn’t it?

We’ve become so much more aware of the adverse effects plastic can have on the environment.

Apparently 1 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide, that’s two million a minute! In NZ alone, 200,000 tonnes of plastic waste is going into landfill each year.

So it’s great to see Northland communities are right behind Plastic Free July.

The international campaign, which started in Perth, is an opportunity to refuse plastic shopping bags, plastic bottles and takeaway containers and look for ways to use alternatives.

We should applaud and get behind businesses who do their bit, swapping plastic for paper bags, ditching plastic straws and offering eco-friendly coffee cups.

I’m all for it. The only question I have is what to use when out walking the dog? Plastic bags are mighty handy in that situation. Any ideas?

Search Plastic Free July on Facebook and let’s all make an effort.

- Jenny