Be fantastic - don't use plastic!

If the humble plastic bag has become a symbol of our disposable society then the backlash has begun!

Campaigns for a plastic bag free Norfolk are well under way with many shops and shoppers now supporting the use of reusable bags instead.

Across the county more and more retailers are now encouraging their customers to bring their own shopping bags and baskets when they stock up with goods - and they say the response from shoppers has been extremely positive.

The campaign to say no to plastic bags has gained momentum as the general public has become more aware of the issues surrounding plastic bags.

In just one single year, Britons now use an estimated 10 billion plastic bags and of these, only one in 200 is ever recycled.

The remainder end up in landfill, where they can take hundreds of years to break down.

Aylsham in particular has hit the headlines for its progressive attitude towards ridding the town of plastic carrier bags. Jason Borthwick, whose Aylshambased company Earthly Ideas, provides environmental advice, is one of those driving the campaign.

"The idea was to encourage as many businesses as possible to move away from using plastic bags by May 3, 2008, but many people did so well before that date," he said. "More than 50 per cent of shops in the town have now signed up to the campaign and because that includes Budgens, which is a large retailer, we expect to be able to reduce plastic bag use in the town by 80 to 90 per cent."

South Norfolk Council's Say No to Plastic Bags campaign has also been gathering speed, with towns and villages such as Diss, Harleston, Loddon and Hethersett, pledging to do all they can.

In Wymondham, youngsters from the town's high school have been working hard to encourage local shops and businesses to move away from plastic.

Supported by county education worker Ann Roberts, of the Wymondham Learning Centre, they have held discussions with local supermarkets as well as small retailers.

"At the moment we are trying to work towards Christmas as a time by which to be plastic bag free," she said. "The Green Team, from Wymondham High, have been working hard to encourage shoppers and shops to use long-lasting bags made from materials such as jute or cotton."

In Norwich, the campaign to rid the city of plastic bags is being driven by a number of organisations, including the City Council and the Norwich Carbon Reduction Trust (NCRT). Events have been organised across the city, which have included a plastic bag free day.

Brenda Arthur, chairman of the NCRT, said: "We have seen a number of key retailers in the city really encouraging their customers not to use plastic bags and we are hoping to build on this. "We know the change won't happen immediately but if each of us makes a small change, collectively we can make a huge difference."