What can I do?

It's really easy! Just remember to take a bag or two when you go out shopping. Put one in your coat pocket, keep a few in the car or leave them by the door to pick up on your way out. It takes a while to get into the habit, but soon it will be as natural as remembering to take your money with you.

Show your support for the scheme by filling in our Shopper's Form and pledging to cut your use of plastic bags. If everyone in Penistone halved the number of plastic bags they use there would be a million less plastic bags needed.

Penistone bags

Do you find you need more cloth bags than just your free Co-op shopper? There are now Penistone Carry-A-Bags for sale in local shops - read about our bag making workshops here. Penistone Carry-A-Bags are £3 each and the money will be split between Barnsley Hospice and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. Available in:

Plastic bags

Some shops in Penistone are reducing the use of new plastic bags by re-using old plastic carriers. If you have any spare plastic bags, please take them into one of these shops:

FAQs

I have some plastic bags at home. What shall I do with them?

You can either:

• Keep re-using them until they break and then put them in the plastic bag recycling in-store in the Co-op.
• Take them to one of the shops listed above as they are reducing plastic bag use by re-using bags from other shops.

I used to use plastic bags to put in my bin - what shall I use now?

You could line it with a few sheets of newspaper then empty it straight into the outside bin.

What do I use to clear up dog waste?

You'll probably still have some plastic bags from your cereal, bread or plastic magazine wrappers, which can be used. Cornstarch dog waste bags are also available, as are dog waste composters.

Other tips for reducing plastic waste:

• When you are shopping, choose things with less packaging
• Re-use small plastic bags such as bread bags for sandwich bags or freezer bags instead of buying them
• Take small bags to put your fruit and veg in when out shopping instead of taking new bags off the roll, or put your produce loose in your basket.
• Buy bars of soap instead of bottles

Send us your own ideas and tips and see them featured on this website.

Shopping bag stories

When we started chatting to people, we heard some interesting stories about people's shopping bags...

Long service bag

We met Betty Elders in Penistone Country Market. She is pictured above with her shopping bag, which currently holds the long-service record (so far at least - can you beat it?). It was her mother's, and she died 16 years ago - and it's still going strong!

Bag to the rescue!

A person who wishes to remain nameless recently used the ladies toilets in Penistone, only to find the door completely jammed when she wanted to get out! Rather than an embarrassing shout for help, she pulled out her trusty canvas bag, looped it round the handle and a big pull got her free! Would a plastic carrier have got her out of trouble...?

Have you got a tale to tell? Contact us to have your story featured.