Ed,

During “Plastic-free July” a number of outlets at Yamba Fair were giving very durable cloth shopping bags with designer logos.

What a great  forward-looking way to encourage you to use more reusable, multi-use and even repairable products in preference to recyclable or disposable products.

Single-use products are very CON-venient. But have we been conned to choose the convenience of using something only once by not considering the environmental costs incurred in the manufacturing inputs of every product?

The following manufacturing inputs of every product are:- materials, water, energy together with air, water and soil pollution caused during every manufacturing process.

The manufacturing inputs of a durable, reusable shopping bag are locked-in for the entire life of a reusable shopping bag; but all these same inputs are incurred every time you choose to use a convenient, recyclable or disposable plastic shopping bag.

Air, water and soil are 3 of our 4 vital needs. Today you can’t guaranteed that air is safe to breathe anywhere in the world and due to recent extreme flooding both here and overseas, some water is now not safe to drink and some soil is now not safe to grow food. 

Water is a vital and finite resource which grows more precious as populations increase. Today’s children and grandchildren know the score, so why not ask them what they would choose: a reusable shopping bag or a convenient, single-use plastic bag?

If you don’t want a “throw-away” future, what type of bag is your best choice, for the future is what you choose?

Harry Johnson, Iluka