It’s Bag Week
Transition Town Totnes will be hosting Bag Week in Totnes from November 16th to 21st. The week of awareness raising is to highlight one of the main problems of our consumer society, the dreaded plastic bag. During the week TTT will host a Film Night and a Bag making workshop to encourage people to be more plastic bag conscious and cut back on the number being used.
Confirmed Events (see below for details):
Sat 14th
What; photocall to make a statement about the waste of plastic on bottles used for water
Who: SH Friends of the Earth + all others / rent a crowd
When & where: 10.30 am in Totnes Civic Square
Thurs 19th
What: Film night: The Story of Stuff & Message in the Waves (by Rebecca Hoskins)
Who: TTT + all welcome
Time 7pm start
Where: Totnes Methodist Church
Cost £3 / T£2 concessions
More info: click here
Sat 21st
What: Bags of Change-new patterns for waste/Bag making workshop
Who: TTT + participants (limited space)
Time: 10am-3pm
Where: Birdwood House, Totnes
Cost: £3/T£2 concs
More info: click here
All Week
What: Shops asking for a donation for plastic bags
What: Shoppers bringingheir own bags to the shops
Where: all over Totnes & District
“Every year 13 billion plastic bags are given away in the UK alone. Their production and disposal adds to CO2 emissions, pollution problems and threaten our wildlife” said Jacqi Hodgson who is coordinating the week’s events for TTT, she added “It is senseless to keep adding to the problem of plastic waste, when we can easily make the choice to refuse a new bag, and bring our own one to the shops. ”TTT hope to highlight the problems around over-consumption that has been made so easy by plastic. During Bag Week TTT are asking shoppers to take their own bag with them or invest in a reusable bag, they are asking shops to request a charitable donation for plastic bags and other groups to link in and organise their own events to raise their concerns about plastic waste. Friends of the Earth will be highlighting the excessive use of plastic bottles for water during the week.
At the Film Night on Thursday 19th November in the Methodist Church, TTT will show the Story of Stuff and Message in the Waves. The popular Story of Stuff is a short but poignant film about over consumption this will be followed by a brief open discussion with refreshments. Message in the Waves which follows is the award winning film by Rebecca Hoskins, that won over the people of Modbury to become the first Plastic Bag Free town in the UK and Devon.
On Saturday 21st at Birdwood House, TTT will host a workshop Bags of Change – New Patterns for Waste where people can come and make their own bag. “The aim of the workshop is to stitch together an inspired view of waste. Come and join the conversation while you make something useful. It’s a small beginning we can all make” said Lyn Simmons who will be running the workshop at Birdwood House from 10am-3pm. Materials and teas will be available.
“This is really a celebration of how we can be resourceful and make good use of waste; all part of our transition from a high energy lifestyle and throw-away society towards the energy descent we need to engage with” said Jacqi Hodgson. If anyone would like to host an event during Bag Week and wish to let TTT know about it they can contact Jacqi or Lou at the TTT office at 01803 867358. Information about the event is being posted on the TTT calendar.
