What happens when you tell people that they have to bring their own bag to the check out counter on Earth Day?  This isn’t a tricky question; people simply bring their own bag.  It is, however, a question that I put to the test… for three years in a row.

Dryden and the surrounding area retailers that pledged to participate in Michelle’s Earth Day Challenge did NOT hand out new single use plastic shopping bags on Earth Day.  The year 2008 marked the beginning of this challenge which yielded a total 27 participating retailers.  This first-year success was followed by an even more successful participation in the year 2009 with a total 40 participating retailers.  The year 2010 was the final year of this challenge (since I am leaving for University this fall) and 43 retailers participated in this challenge! I estimate that participation in the final year is approximately 90 percent or more of our retail store community that distributes plastic bags on a daily basis.

How do I know that these challenges were successful?  Retail store feedback.  For the purpose of this article, I will share the most recent challenge feedback.  I submitted a form to each of the 43 managers of participating retail stores.  Before moving on, please note that I received a response from only 29 retail store participants and these responses represent the extent of my data.  It is, however, my personal belief that any retail store participants who were disappointed by the challenge would have taken my response form as an opportunity to give me their negative feedback and possible opposition to the challenge and/or developing plastic bag ban bylaw.  Therefore, I feel confident saying that any other feedback would likely be just as positive as the data I received.

The following are the questions and results for the feedback form;

1. “Overall, how would you rate customer response?” Seventy two percent of retailers chose Very Positive. Twenty-eight percent chose Positive. Zero percent for Neutral, Negative and Very Negative.

2. “Did specific customers give you positive feedback?” Eighty-nine percent of retailers chose Yes. Eleven percent chose No.

3. “Did specific customers give you negative feedback?” Ninety-three percent of retailers chose No. Seven percent chose Yes.

4. “Would you be in favour of a ban on single use plastic shopping bags in the City of Dryden if you were given six months notice?” Sixty-four percent of retailers chose Yes. Thirty-six percent chose Maybe. Zero percent chose No.  In other words, no retailer who voluntarily banned plastic bags for one day is in outright opposition to the bylaw.

5. Optional – Please make general comments here:
(responses are in no particular order = total 11 responses)

“I am all for educating the public on banning plastic.”
“[This event should be] done once a month.”
“Will help at Dryden Store whenever needed again.”
“Very good for business and the community!”
“It went very well.”
“Please keep this up!”
“We were happy to support this – we even refused to sell fish and we gave out reusable bags to forgetful customers.  Best of luck.”
“Keep up the great work!”
“Stores need to begin giving boxes or paper bags to consumers.”
“I think this is very good in raising awareness and keeping our earth green and pollution free.”
“Very good day over all!”

Sioux Lookout is in the process of passing a bylaw that I have been wishing be implemented in Dryden.  This bylaw will prohibit the sale or free distribution of plastic shopping bags within their municipality.  The upcoming third and final reading of the bylaw will determine whether Sioux Lookout will be the first community in Ontario to take such an important step to ensuring waste reduction.

The response that I have received from OUR community is that people WANT change.  Being in favour of the bylaw or even a successful event similar to a bylaw proves that people need a push to change their habits.  What happens when you tell people that they have to bring their own bag to the check out counter Every Day?  This isn’t a tricky question; people simply bring their own bag.