Thursday, June 4, 2009

Green bags update....

TonbridgeBlog thought it was too good to be true. It turns out that Associated Packaging of Canon Lane, Tonbridge don't, as I'd been led to believe, supply bags made from recycled paper. Also their biodegradable bags are just that but they are not compostable bags, that is to say they cannot be just put on the compost heap like the sample bags I've received from the London Bio Packaging Company, which they claim are made from plant matter and are not oil based like other plastics. I wouldn't have known that there was any difference before this excercise but, it seems, the difference is huge. So I'm almost back to square one in that I cannot source anything locally unless Associated Packaging order in a couple of pallet loads from LBP (which to be fair they still might.) I'm staggered actually that it is this difficult to try and be green and do my bit for the environment. I understand now what that Al Gore was banging on about in the eco film, Inconvienient Truth, (watch it if you haven't already) for it really is inconvenient to go out of your way just to get some bags or stationary or whatever else. The other inconvenience is that even when you find a company which can supply the packaging, like London Bio Packaging, they are roughly four times more expensive than the non bio, and arguably stronger, equivalent. Small wonder then that most businesses just don't bother. I'm teetering on the edge of just simply not bothering but I'm also slightly inclined towards spearheading a national campaign to use green bags. I can feel something stirring inside me, could be wind but I think it's more than that this time....

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes it is really hard to be Green. One can only attempt to do our best. You are trying and that is commendable. Unfortunately almost everything we buy is labelled to appear green and unless we challenge and research everything in an intelligent way we are often caught out.
I know I am banging on here about the perfume smell that decends on Tonbridge however it isn't perfume it is a mixture of chemical compounds.
Once again just find out for yourselves.
Off to vote Green now.

Anonymous said...

Yes, it can be hard to be green if it costs more. Rather like a greasy burger and chips is cheaper than, say, a jacket potato and salad in Tonbridge. Healthier, and organically grown food should be cheaper.

Voted Green too.

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