Miranda Newsom, www.theaccidentalecomaniac.com

Local hero: say no to unwanted bags

We’re getting to know community heroes, people who don’t just bottle up their frustrations or moan about problems, they work to turn their good ideas into successful solutions.

Marilyn Donahue, (pictured centre) co-founder of East Dulwich SNUB (Say No to Unwanted Bags)

Marilyn Donahue is the co-founder of East Dulwich SNUB (Say No to Unwanted Bags), which aims to make the South London community a Plastic Bag Free Zone.

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When did you first start thinking about the problem of plastic bags in your local area?

SNUB (Say No to Unwanted Bags) started from a discussion I had over a year ago with Monica McSherry, who owns Health Matters, a natural health shop here in East Dulwich. Monica had read about the Modbury campaign which created the UK’s first plastic bag-free town. She started discussing it with her customers, and we realised there was a lot of concern about the issue.

How did you translate that concern into action?

I am from San Francisco, where there is a great relationship between local people and local traders, and I thought it would be nice to get the East Dulwich traders involved, with them distributing the bags.

This helps develop a relationship between trader and customer where they’re working together to improve the environment. We applied for a ‘Cleaner Greener Safer’ grant from Dulwich Community Council/Southwark Council and got £14,000 to fund reusable bags for local residents. Now the scheme’s been extended to all customers.

Supporters of East Dulwich's SNUB campaign (Say No to Unwanted Bags)

Has the SNUB campaign been a success?

The campaign has done well. Major shops have said yes, there’s been lots of interest and take-up of SNUB bags and other reusable bags.

Are cloth bags (whisper) trendy?

I do think so when I see a particularly fashionable local woman using her SNUB bag as part of her ‘ensemble’. It’s a small step but any little action that makes people stop and think helps.

Can people just sew their own bags?

Sure. Morsbags is quite a fun site; they call it ‘Sociable Guerilla Bagging’. They keep a running tally, with potentially 15,405,000 fewer plastic bags used this year.

Do you think the idea will keep spreading?

Bag schemes are definitely spreading. There’s a viral effect – we’ve had lots of interest, even from other countries. Elsewhere in South London, Walworth’s East Street Market took our concept and recently was awarded money to give out reusable bags. There is also interest from Herne Hill and Bermondsey.

If people would like to start a similar movement in their area, what should they do?

Pick up a copy of ‘Ban the Plastic Bag: A Community Action Plan for a Carrier Bag Free World’, a new booklet by Rebecca Hoskins with all the information you need to start a DIY campaign in your own area and lots of helpful website links.

Marilyn Donahue, (pictured right) co-founder of East Dulwich SNUB (Say No to Unwanted Bags)

Is government helping to solve this problem?

The government has really pushed on domestic waste but we need to work on business waste as well. That’s an important part of the solution, and I hope the credit crunch doesn’t affect it. With the landfill tax going up (an EU directive), there’s a legitimate argument that having less plastic waste actually saves a business money.

How does the credit crunch affect green issues? Will schemes such as supermarket charges on plastic bags cause resentment or finally ‘convert’ people?

I think it depends on the individual. With organic food, I’ve heard that organic veg is often now competitive in price with regular veg, which has seen huge rises in the cost of fertiliser, pesticides and distribution.

There’s also a resurging interest in allotments, with green benefits plus obvious cost savings. Many people are also reducing their meat consumption, as the prices are rising. I was worried funding for green projects might suffer, but I’ve seen some lectures and programmes still going ahead, which is encouraging.

What makes you different from people who complain about things but never actually do anything constructive?

Well, for much of my life I did just grump about things. Then I realised that by expending a bit more energy to take it one step further (even just writing a letter) you translate the anger and frustration into action.

An elderly supporter of East Dulwich's SNUB campaign (Say No to Unwanted Bags)

It helps you feel empowered, and sometimes it helps accomplish something. I don’t like to moralise or preach, though. Some people are really busy – I had time to work on this so I did.

What other green work do you do?

I founded The Sustainable Education Project which has worked with many schools on their sustainable behaviour changes. From that I've trained to be an Eco-Schools Green Flag assessor and researched and developed an eco-schools action plan for the local council. I supported the London Schools Environment Awards, and I’ve also organised two Green Fairs, attended by 20,000 people.

What else do you do in your personal life to go greener?

We just got an allotment – after years of waiting. When they called I thought it was a prank call, we’d been waiting so long. We had weeds up to our ears, so it’s taking a lot of backbreaking work to get it up and running, but we’ll get some potatoes this winter and set up properly for spring.

We’re also going to cut back on meat, as it requires a lot of extra energy. My main point is, I’m not into making anyone feel guilty. It’s about doing what you can and being constructive. If we all do our bit, we really can make a difference.

Further Reading

Nominate your own local hero

Local hero: The founder of Litter Heroes

Local hero: The gardening and allotment activist
Local hero: The man behind a national car-sharing scheme

Quiz: How eco are you?

Why it's healthy to be green