Don't bag the bag charge

I wrote recently about Cadbury's decision to stop using palm oil in its chocolate, and how people power had made a difference. Well, shoppers in Wellington may be congratulating themselves today, thinking they've won a similar victory against The Man. But this story is different - because what they've managed to do is manipulate two supermarkets into stopping charging for plastic bags.

Yes, the people have spoken. And this time, what they said was, "I'm too lazy to make a change and I don't want to be forced to think about the environment."

Shoppers at Wellington's New World and Four Square supermarkets won't have to pay for bags any more, even though the rest of New Zealand does, because they got so vocal about the charge. I have to say I'm unimpressed that Foodstuffs (the owner of the chains) gave in so easily after making such a big hurrah about the new policy earlier this year.

Charging for bags has so far been a success, with participating supermarkets reducing bag use by 50 percent, or 40 million bags. And yet it seems commitment to the plan is already wavering.

We're supposed to be clean, green New Zealand, but other Western nations seem to be way ahead of us when it comes to phasing out plastic bags.

Sure, plastic bags are convenient and lightweight and we're used to the supermarket providing them for us so we don't have to remember to bring our own. But they're also bad for the planet in pretty much every possible way. You'd think phasing them out would be a no-brainer, and not much of a big deal - after all, Pak n Save has always charged for bags (although that's a decision based on cost-cutting, rather than the environment) and you don't see people whinging about them.

But apparently some people are too set in their ways. They don't see why they should have to forgo the convenience just so everyone can benefit. And so they whinged, and threatened to boycott.

We're talking about five cents per bag here, people. Your bank account will barely notice the difference - and if it does, well, maybe it'll be the incentive you needed to join the people who do actually give a stuff about the environment, about our future and about something other than themselves.

And as a final note, speaking of thinking of others - today, September 1 is Random Acts of Kindness Day. Have you done something nice for someone, or been the benefactor of an act of kindness? (Maybe you offered to pay for a disgruntled shopper's plastic bags?) Share your experience in the comments.