Environment Waikato puts funding in the bag

Environment Waikato has granted $4500 from its Environmental Initiatives Fund to help Whaingaroa Environment Centre develop an environmentally friendly shopping bag.

The centre plans to develop a ‘Ragbag’ – a reusable cloth bag – as a stylish alternative to plastic shopping bags.

The bag would be decorated with the winning art work from an art competition and exhibition the centre is supporting in partnership with the Raglan Community Arts Council and the Raglan Lions Club.

The centre believes an iconic Raglan-designed bag will catch on with local shoppers and tourists, and hopes it will become a statement about waste reduction.

It will be used to raise awareness of the importance of reducing and reusing waste and the success of the initiative will be monitored by recording plastic bag use in shops. There will also be competitions to promote it.