What will it eventually take for humans to realise that the way we have been living in relationship to our natural environment is not working and needs to change?

Our reliance on the ‘convenient’ plastic shopping bag has taken its toll on our natural world and only because we have been negligent and excessive in its use.

It’s past time we cultivated a culture of accountability because much of what we have repeatedly been doing has not produced desired results, and that is pure insanity.

How much more do we presume the earth will bear with all of the burdens we place on it? What if there was one achievable action that anyone and everyone could take to ease the waste load?

Consciously and doggedly refusing the plastic shopping bag can serve as a powerful catalyst to creating general environmental alertness within individuals. The added benefit of personal empowerment could serve to galvanize people into effective action to further aid our planet.

Banning the Two Oceans Aquarium staff from bringing plastic shopping bags into the workplace since April 2011 was a seemingly bold move on behalf of the Aquarium’s Director, Dr Patrick Garratt.

The outright ban was, at first, a shock to some people yet ongoing efforts by all have certainly paid off and it has become a way of life in the Aquarium.

This presentation aims to show how the non-essential plastic shopping bag is killing this world and to suggest solutions to Rethink the Bag.

Download technical paper here.