GEJI 2009: Project Plastic Bags

Sydney supermarket shoppers are using more new plastic bags than those in other major cities, including Melbourne, London and Hong Kong, according to a survey of more than 4000 customers conducted by University of Technology journalism students in March this year writes Shushu He.

Employees at a major supermarket are not enforcing any policies on plastic bags, and failing to encourage the use of environmentally friendly Green Bags. Rachel Pieris and Andrew Stewart investigate. Continue reading

Consumers’ plastic bag usage is largely influenced by supermarket policy, according to a survey of Coles and ALDI stores in Manly. Currently, there is no Coles policy that dictates that cashiers should ask customers if they would like a bag for three items or less. But in contrast, ALDI stores implement a 15-cent fee for each plastic bag and actively encourages customers to bring their own bags or boxes from home. Olivia Pickering and Bonnie Rando Leys report. Continue reading

Plastic bags continue to be the popular choice for supermarket consumers as Coles staff fail to suggest a greener option.

Hollie Azzopardi and Natasha Kosteska report. Continue reading

People are still not fully aware of issues at the core of climate change, despite Green Bags flooding our shopping centres and supermarket shelves as Caitlin Hill and Danielle Le Toullec report.

A recent field study at Broadway Shopping Centre found that customers mainly use Green Bags because of social pressures, and not moral reasons or an awareness of climate change. Continue reading

Coles at Surry Hills, part of one of Australia’s major supermarket chains, does not have an in-house policy when it comes to dispensing plastic bags to its customers reports Julian Mark and Shazana Zulkiffli . Continue reading

Australian retail heavyweights Coles and Woolworths are ignoring environmental policy that provides customers with the option of going without a plastic bag for three items or less. Daniella Ivanoska and Marcus Braid report. Continue reading

GEJI journalists took to the streets of Sydney to find out what they thought about plastic bag usage. Continue reading

While supermarkets battle to win the fight over plastic bags, Coles has implemented a new recycling system for non-reusable plastic bags writes Jacqui Henderson, Livia Parsito and Yammi Lee. Continue reading

Coles fail to enforce environmental initiatives to combat Australia’s plastic bag consumption, despite clear company policies to encourage the use of Green Bags as Claire Morgan, Eric Barnes, Emily Ackew, Paul Nee find out. Continue reading