Zero Waste Podcast 9: Smart Shopping Says No to Plastic

I made an official visit to the Scottish Parliment to talk to Gordon Millar, environmental campaigner and Alison Johnstone, Green Councillor and MSP on smart shopping and their plans to ban plastic bags in Edinburgh.

Are plastic bags really a problem? What's happening locally and globally and what do you do if you've forgotten your bag for life? Listen to find out all this and more:

If you have iTunes installed on your computer you can subscribe to our audio as a podcast by clicking here. 

Just this week Seattle Council voted to ban single use plastic bags in their City. Italy banned plastic bags a year ago and Rwanda is now entering it's forth year of plastic bag free living. Wales introduced a levee on plastic bags, causing some confusion. Would an outright ban on plastic bags be a more straightforward solution for Edinburgh? You can follow the campaign to Ban Plastic Bags in Edinburgh on twitter and facebook.

Here in Leith our reusable bonus bag has been a big hit with councilors and locals. The funding for the scheme has finished but the bags are for life. Read more in the Edinburgh Guardian article mentioned in the podcast.

Gordon was inspired to start his campaign by the Plastic Pollution Coalition in the US. This trailer to the film 'Midway' gives you an idea of the global plastic problem. WARNING, be prepared for beauty amidst terrible tragedy:

If that left you feeling a little sick, think about changing the way you shop and cheer up with some Zero Waste Chrismtas Shopping tips from Alison and Gordon, I've even added sleigh bells: 

That's the last Zero Waste Podcast for 2011, we'll be back in January. Wishing you a very merry Zero Waste Christmas. 

The Zero Waste Podcast series is produced by Emily Dodd for Greener Leith and funded by City of Edinburgh Council Waste Action Grants, Vegware and Changeworks. 

The theme tune for the podcast was brought to you by Waste Action Grant funded project, Trash Arts.