Supermarkets - plastic bags

[smudger]

Well as I wasn't charged for a plastic bag a couple of days ago when I forgot my reusable bag, I guess that's another under the carpet job!

[PolemIan]

If I recall correcly, the supermarkets are required to start charging for bags from July, €0.05 each I think, but as a process for getting us used to the idea of paying for them, they could choose to start charging, at a lower rate, from earlier this year but I’m not aware of any that did. So in theory, all have from July.

Ian

[Jimgym]

Ikagora(sp) have been charging for carrier bags quite a few weeks now.

[ApusApus]

Lidl charge but Paps don't!


Shane

[LouiseCastricum]

Tiger in the Mall charged also.

[Fisherman Phil]

From 1st January 2018 it was optional for stores to charge for plastic bags, from 1st July 2018 it is compulsory.
Let's see if it happens !!!

[Dominic]

I do live Alpha Mega reward scheme with the stamps though. It's not strictly relevant to this thread, but we got some nice knives from there.

[Cactuslil]

I do live Alpha Mega reward scheme with the stamps though. It's not strictly relevant to this thread, but we got some nice knives from there.

I agree. The rewards are always good quality & the staff are so nice. Although they’re selling reusable bags they don’t seem to promote them & haven’t seen any Cypriots with their own bags up to now.

[garry&jill]

the pharmacy at polis hospital has stopped supplying bags when collecting prescriptions now
so take a bag with you if you need medication I saw someone yesterday drop all his medication in the car park
garry

[Kia Picanto]

The UK is just beginning to realise how much plastic is used/overused in our everyday lives. There's been lots of media attention recently, thanks partly to David Attenborough's programme, that highlighted the effect on wildlife, and the environment in general.

In Cyprus, I can't even begin to imagine the damage being done to sea-life etc, as the use of plastic bags and bottles here is prolific. I brought over a few heavy duty Tesco bags a few years ago, and try to remember to use them when shopping. The checkout staff are always quite surprised when I start packing my groceries, and they often insist on using the shop ones. Charging 10c per bag will surely focus people on remembering to 'bring their own'. I think we could ALL make a difference.

Being totally honest, I haven't made much effort up to now, to go 'green', though I've opted for online bank statements, utility bills etc, for some time. My next challenge is to stop using so many 'wet wipes'. I use them for wiping worktops, and many other household jobs. Also, cosmetic ones, for removing make-up, or freshening up on journeys. My personal challenge is to reduce my use of the above, to very occasional use. Currently using a muslin cloth and cleanser for make up removal, and slowly reverting to using J-cloths for household. I now rarely use plastic straws - 99% of the time, they're unnecessary.

What do others think?

[Dominic]

The stats of Paphos Life show that blogs highlighting "green" issues don't perform nearly as well as other topics. Neither do blogs relating to charity. A lot of people just aren't interested. There are numerous reasons why this may be the case:

1. People don't care.
2. People are fed up with too many charity and green campaigns.
3. People find the topics boring.

On the face of it, 2 and 3 might appear the same, but 3 implies that if the information was presented in a better way people would be more interested.

[memory man]

...though I've opted for online bank statements, utility bills etc, for some time.

You might like to pop into Immigration some time and explain your strategies. For our recent MEU3A applications they required 5 years monthly bank statements for me (paper of course)...and then a repeat 5 years paper bank statements for the wife. Sheer lunacy! A letter from my muchtar confirming we have lived her for 5 or 10 years should have done the trick, but according to Gwenny-Mary, this is not acceptable to them.

Is this post in the correct thread ?

[Lofos-Jan]

I made the step to change our habits regarding the dreaded plastic straws and we do (did) get through huge amounts of them in our household being prolific frappe, smoothie and icy drink drinkers! I bought a pack of 10 thick plastic reusable ones in Jumbo a few weeks ago and that has completely stopped the use of the throwaway ones. A tiny contribution but a contribution nonetheless.

Jeanne

[Varky]

I suggested hers was a lesson which could well be learned by Immigration, which require attendees to use use prolific amounts of paper in support of the most simple proofs.

Agreed. It would be nice if such a departments would come into the 21st Century and allow the submission of such documentation, in the .pdf format in which I receive them, on a CD. Somewhere in Cyprus there must be a massive warehouse full of supporting documentation for the various applications required on the island. Such amounts of paperwork must surely be a fire hazard.

[Kia Picanto]

Is this post in the correct thread ?

Yes, Kia Picanto explained ways in which she was trying to be more eco-friendly, including the use of online statements instead of paper.

I suggested hers was a lesson which could well be learned by Immigration, which require attendees to use use prolific amounts of paper in support of the most simple proofs.

Thanks for clarifying my post for MM. For most of my life, I've been a serial 'offender', using plastic bags, plastic bottles, wipes etc etc. Though we recycle all household rubbish in most of the UK, it's obvious that plastic is the problem. I had no idea that the facial wipes I've used for years, were so harmful to the environment. All I'm doing, is trying to reduce the amount of stuff that's causing such damage. Well done to Jeanne, for buying re-usable straws. Great idea.

HIC, I agree totally about Immigration, and every other dept in Cyprus, who demand so much hard-copy evidence. Crazy isn't it? Thankfully, having decided that I'll never live in Cyprus, I won't have to go through that process.

[mike strand2]

deleted

[Kili01]

Yes, Immigration don’t seem interested in green issues! Imagine the amount of paper wastage their stupid insistance on 5 yrs of printed bank statements will cause? Also on another front this contributes to the un necessary wastage of trees used to make the paper.

Dee