New subcommittee hopes a change is in the bag
Posted on Friday, June 6, 2008
Finding ways to encourage local businesses to reduce how many plastic bags they use and give to customers is the objective of a Fayetteville Environmental Concerns subcommittee.
Nancy Varvil, Francesca D’Agrosa, Randy Shankle and Matthew Petty met with John Coleman, the city’s sustainability coordinator, with that in mind.
“ I’m hoping maybe our little committee will grow, ” said Varvil, who wants a variety of people, “ not all gungho environmentalist types, ” on a well-rounded committee.
She said she hopes to see Wal-Mart and other business representatives and stakeholders taking an interest locally and joining the committee.
“ I think the word isn’t really out, just underground, ” said Varvil, who with the others wants to create an awareness about the economic — as well as environmental — reasons for businesses to switch to reusable bags that are not made of plastic.
They described some businesses that sell reusable bags and a California grocery store that charges for the bag but gives the customer a dime each time the bag is used.
There are also stores that charge a dollar for customers who don’t bring a reusable bag and others that simply don’t provide bags.
“ They have to find out what’s in it for them; that’s the only way it’s going to work, ” Varvil said.
The committee’s focus will be convenience stores, grocery stores and liquor stores.
“ What I’m picturing are these people who go to Wal-Mart and fill up their carts, ” D’Agrosa said. “ They’re going to have to have like 30 of these. ”
She said she thinks there should be an effort for individuals to reuse any bags, not just those purchased at a particular store.
D’Agrosa added, “ I’ve never done anything like this, and I don’t even know where to begin. ”
The committee decided to begin with a threepronged approach: finding more committee members, developing an informational sheet and creating a survey.
They agreed to a mission “ to significantly reduce our community’s contribution to the consumption of highdensity polyethylene bags. ”
D’Agrosa will focus on the survey, with committee members exchanging ideas for possible questions.
Shankle suggested they might ask how a program that required use of alternative bags would impact a business.
“ If it impacts negatively on the bottom line, they’re going to be very opposed, ” he said.
Petty will catalog information about similar ventures in the United States, the cost of plastic bags compared to other bags, and identify how a program for nonplastic bags could be beneficial to businesses.
“ Anytime we ask them to reduce something, we ought to show them why it’s environmentally responsible and why it’s economically sound, ” he said. “ It might be a good thing for them, ” Varvil said. “ The city of Fayetteville is trying to become a model and influence the community and the businesses around. It’s not just government. All different segments of our society are going to have to change. The city’s just doing its part by providing models. Maybe we can provide a model through our committee as well. ”
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