A GROUP of volunteers are working to make 1000 reusable shopping bags for the wider community to use.
The group meets in Alkimos to work on a community-driven initiative, Boomerang Bags, which started in Queensland in 2013.
Butler resident Paula Hay said the initiative was tackling plastic pollution at a grassroots level.
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READ NOW“The Boomerang Bags are made by volunteers, out of up-cycled fabric, and will be placed around the community at local supermarkets and farmers markets,” she said.
“The bags are free for the community to use as an alternative to plastic bags, and they bring them back the next time they return to the shop.
“The availability of free, reusable bags reduces the need for single-use plastic bags.”
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Ms Hay said they held weekly sewing sessions at Sprout Hub Alkimos, with the next one scheduled for Friday, March 17, at 10am.
“Members of the community can help by joining us at one of our sewing sessions, or by donating fabric such as scraps or old sheets and duvet covers, that we can use to turn into bags,” she said.
The weekly two-hour workshops will continue until they have reached the set target of 1000 bags, then will hold fortnightly or monthly workshops.
Ms Hay said she and Ja-On Park aimed to build a network of bag-making volunteers across Perth, with one group already involved in Mundaring.
“We’d like to provide them to shoppers of local and small businesses throughout Perth,” she said.
“One WA owned supermarket has already said they would like to have bags available for the customers.
“We will have a presence at local farmers markets and community events and can use those opportunities to educate the community about way they can reduce single-use plastic.
“By providing fun, unique bags out of upcycled material, the community will be inspired to use them, instead of plastic bags and change their long-term habits.”
Email paulaahay@gmail. com or jaonpark@hotmail.com for more information.