UMD stores say goodbye to bags for a week
Plastic bag tree in the first floor UMD store on campus. Photo by Izabel Johnson
UMD stores on campus will not be offering bags to their customers from Oct. 28 to Nov. 3 in an effort to support environmental sustainability on campus.
“This has been... the first place that I’ve worked at that has actually... gone bag-free for... an entire week,” staff member Mara Hallberg said.
Customers visiting the store will be required to bring their own bag or go without one for this week. There are also bag trees available outside of the stores for recycled plastic bags. The trees are similar to coat racks, but instead of hanging coats, people can leave plastic bags on the rack for re-use or take one to use themselves.
“It’s hard to get rid of bags completely when there’s nobody else doing it,” Ann Pellant, the art supplies buyer and supervisor for UMD stores, said. “When you suddenly take away bags from...your customer base, it’s always traumatic.”
The stores have posted signs in and around the stores reminding customers of the change and informing them to B.Y.O.B. (bring your own bag) in an effort to warn customers about the change.
B.Y.O.B. sign reminds customers of the temporary change in bag policy. Photo by Izabel Johnson
When asked about the public’s response to the bag-free initiative, Pellant stated, “Each year it gets easier...people aren’t as surprised and they actually are cheering it on.”
The store has been going bag-free for one week during the fall semester for the past four or five years and for the entire month of April since around the year 2009, according to Pellant.
“I think a lot of people are understanding about it,” Halberg said.”It’s becoming a norm.”
Pellant expressed a hope to eventually be able to permanently rid the stores of bags.
“I just think the more people jump on the wagon...then the further we can take this...we just want to make sure that our customers stay our customers...that’s the goal,” Pellant said.
According to a report by the Center for International Environmental Law, CO2 emissions could rise to more than 2.5 billion tonnes by the year 2050.
Because of this, the entire Duluth community has been working on ways to use less plastic bags. Currently, there is a proposed ordinance being looked over by the Duluth City Council that would require customers to pay a nickel for every plastic bag.
See what other steps the Duluth community is taking to help eliminate plastic bag waste here.