Play Your Part: What can YOU do?

Anyone can do any of these, anytime:

*Sign the online Greener-upon-Thames petition here: or print it off and collect signatures.

*Take your own bag and refuse free carrier bags whenever you shop - and tell retailers why. Keep bags in the boot of your car, or your bicycle pannier or your handbag or pocket (some reusable bags are small enough). Of course, you still have to remember to put them back into yout boot or bag after you've unloaded your shopping! Put something to remind you on your kitchen notice board, by the front door, on your car dashboard, on your keyring - whatever will work for your. In the end, it's a question of caring enough about the environment to develop the habit. If by any chance you don't have a bag, some sources of good long-life bags can be found in Useful Links.

*Lobby for a ban or a tax on throw-away bags. For example, write to your MP, or the Mayor of London, or local councillors.

*Write letters to local stores and supermarkets, and most importantly to their head offices, asking them to stop giving away free plastic bags and to offer good alternatives (plenty of examples on this website and/or charge heftily for any plastic bags they feel they need to offer (i e, more than just 5p!).

*Head offices of the big chains have the most influence so it's definitely worth writing to them, even to the Chief Executive if you can find contact details. Other local campaigners write to head offices, and the more people that do, the more impact we will have. But local managers also have some influence and discretion. Sometimes initiatives, such as charging for plastic bags or discouraging assistants from automatically offering them, are trialled locally, so it's worth asking local branches if they would do this. Some useful addresses here.

*Ask your local shops to stop giving out throw-away bags - you can offer them flyers or other resources to encourage customers to bring their own bags.

*Contact us for more information.