RECENT NEWS
December 13, 2007 - Isa Mundo Foundation
"Smartbag has the potential to empower the public to make the planet greener each and every day by providing affordable, 100% reusable and recyclable bags. The long term adverse effects of the tradional, one-use plastic bags on the environment and human health are unacceptable, and its companies like Smartbag that are leading the way and making it easier for us all to play a part in creating more environmentally sustainable communities."- Vicki Marlatt, M.Sc., Ph.D.
December 7, 2007 - Smartbag Packaging
Smartbag is now a proud sponsor of the Isa Mundo Foundation. We have donated our services and resources so their initial order of resuable bags could be produced. The proceeds from the sale of those bags will help them continue to create sustainable communities for orphanages and less fortunate communities throughout the world. For more information visit our links page."We have a similar vision on how to create and support sustainable communities and I just wanted to thank you again for all your support"
- Paul Carreon Lorilla, Health and Education Projects
Published November 22, 2007 - The Vancouver Sun
Vision councillors want city to ban plastic bagsPublished November 9, 2007 - The Vancouver Sun
Retailer shelves plastic bagsVictoria Superstore to go reusable on Thursday
Published August 08, 2007 - The Vancouver Sun
"Paper or plastic? Neither. It's easy to get into the habit of bringing reusable cloth
bags with you when you do your grocery shopping. Reusable bags have less of an environmental
impact than disposable paper or plastic bags, and they are often stronger."
- David Suzuki
Toronto, Ontario
- 800 million bags are consumed in Toronto annually. (The Star, May 06, 2007)
- Plastic bag recycling won't be available until 2008, is will likely include a levy of 25 cents per bag. - (The Star, May 06, 2007)
- Toronto councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker, chair of the public works committee, says, "I have literally hundreds of extra plastic bags that seem to grow and multiply in my closet!" - (The Star, May 06, 2007)
Leaf Rapids, Manitoba
- On April 2, Leaf Rapids, Man., became the first Canadian community to ban the use of plastic bags.
- The town's by-laws include a $1000/day fine for retailers that continue to distribute or sell single-use plastic bags.
Peterborough, Ontario
- Peterborough, the first city in Canada to adopt a re-cycling program. But the bag-recycling rate is only 22 per cent.
San Francisco, California
- San Francisco began phasing them out at supermarkets and pharmacies.
Portland, Oregon
- Considering phasing out plastic bags at supermarkets and pharmacies.
Ireland
- Ireland implemented a plastic bag tax in 2002.
- A 15 cent tax for each bag led to a 90% reduction in plastic bag consumption.
- The 3.5 million euros in extra revenue raised will be spent on environmental projects, says Environment Minister Martin Cullen.
- When Ireland introducded their 15 cent "plastax" on plastic bags in March 2002, usage dropped from 328 bags per person per year to just 21, a 95% decrease!
