Many retailers in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah has joined in the call for “No Plastic Bags On Monday”. AboutSabah.com supports all Green Initiatives, in Sabah and anywhere in the world for that matter.
The Director of Health and Services Department, Mr Robert Lipon from Kota Kinabalu City council was at G-Mart Inanam on Monday to give a talk about this green initiative. Mr Robert Lipon, explained that this isn’t a movement against plastics, it is about the plastic that ends up in our landfills. We can Reduce, Recycle, Reuse.
- No Plastic Bags On Monday
The Impact Of Plastic Bags On The Environment
Plastic shopping bags are cheap and readily available throughout Sabah. The main issue is that plastics shopping bags are non-biodegradable, and will last anywhere from 20 to 100 years in our landfills. The Black plastics bags releases chemical by-products as it breaks down into the soil. This in turn pollutes the land and may eventually reach our water sources. An estimated 500 kilograms of plastic bags are going into the landfill daily in Kota Kinabalu.
Environmental Action
Many countries in the world have already reduced the plastic bags usage, especially Japan and Denmark. In Penang, Malaysia, they have gone to 3 days without shopping bags. Kota Kinabalu, and other parts of Sabah has followed suit with “No Plastic Bags on Monday”. This means any customer who wants a plastic bag will be charged 20 cents per bag, with the money collected going to the Environmental Action Centre in Sabah, an NGO, to be used in eco projects.
- Robert Lipon, director of Health & Services Dept, City Hall together with G-mart Inanam.
The Response
In certain parts of Sabah, some of the population will feel that even an additional 20 cents is a burden. I can understand that, but we are already paying the price for indiscriminate dumping of rubbish, cutting down of our rainforest, and the destruction of wildlife habitat. Unless we start to give a damn and educate the public, we will continue to pay. We would not be in the position today if we only used what we need. But we are a consumerism driven society. Ever thought about what being a consumer means?
Then there are the people who feel that having made RM300 purchases of groceries do need plastic bags to carry their goods and refuses to pay for the plastic bags. People, stop complaining and get onboard!
I am glad to announce that most of the people and businesses of Sabah supports this green initiative. Most customers are doing their part, and retailers including G-Mart, throughout Sabah are part of this.
