Greener Newsletters

A personal view -

Carole, a Greener Upon Thames supporter, writes in our November 2009 newsletter:

As you grow older, you recognise that you won’t be a hero. You won’t climb Everest, or be a famous ballerina or invent the cure for the common cold. You accept that the most you can do is live a decent life, try to bring up your children with a moral compass, give them more than you had and prepare them for a future you can’t envisage.

What I really hate is the fact that my most enduring legacy will be the plastic bags I brought home from the supermarket, the yogurt pots and the bread wrappers. That they will be there for centuries after I’m gone, polluting the seas, releasing their toxic chemicals into the food chain and causing harm where I had only hoped to do good.

We’re not giving up and neither should you.

A reply from Tesco...

-----Original Message-----

From: Tesco Customer Service [mailto:customer.service@tesco.co.uk]
Sent: 13 October 2010 16:43
To: carole@greeneruponthames.org
Subject: Email to Sir Terry

Ref: 10636790

Dear Carole

Thank you for your email to our Chief Executive, Sir Terry Leahy, to which I have been asked to respond.

Thank you also for your balanced assessment of our efforts towards fully degradable carrier bags. It is very much appreciated that you have taken the time to give us such positive feedback.

Having reviewed the suggestions you have forwarded, I should say there is nothing unreasonable in the comments you have made. With this in mind, I have passed them on to our Trading Law & Technical Manager for consideration.

With regard to your enquiry on the cardboard boxes at our checkouts, there is a very good reason why they are not there anymore. If we keep all of the packaging, we can guarantee that it will be recycled. If it passed on to customers, we have no control over what they do with it after they take it home. The same system is applied for all plastic and food waste generated in our stores.

We do recognise that, along with all other retailers, we must do better. This is why we are continually looking for ways to improve the processes that we use. This is also why we are very keen to listen to suggestions made by our more ecologically-aware customers such as you.

Thank you again for taking the time to make our Chief Executive aware of your suggestions and concerns.

Gary O'Connor
Customer Service Executive