Jan 17, 2008 6:43
Market Wise
By GREER FAY CASHMAN
MONEY IS not always the motive. Often it is just a matter of doing something because you believe in it. That's why supermodel Bar Rafaeli and film director Shahar Segal have agreed to do a gratis campaign under the slogan "One Bag Less," which is being sponsored by The Council for a Beautiful Israel, Bank Hapoalim and the Shout Internet site. The campaign, which will be launched on Sunday, is an attempt to reduce the use of plastic bags. It will be featured at information booths in shopping malls throughout the country, and will be part of an ongoing media and public relations campaign that will eventually lead to legislation for the banning of plastic bags. Television spots, with Rafaeli as the star, will be screened on commercial channels and on the Internet.
Some 2 billion plastic bags are used annually by Israeli shoppers, most of whom get them in the supermarket, where they are available free of charge. As a result, many shoppers use more bags than they really need to, using a separate bag for each item instead of packing several items into one bag. Research indicates that these plastic bags are an ecological hazard, representing 30 percent of industrial waste; they add to the pollution of the environment and do not disintegrate easily; they fly in the wind, get caught in trees and shrubs and float on the sea; they also suffocate living creatures, including humans. Many products, such as pillows and large soft toys that come packed in plastic bags, often carry the warning that they should be kept out of the reach of infants and children to prevent suffocation.
Rafaeli said she was pleased to be part of a campaign to reduce the damage caused by plastic bags, and expressed confidence that once the campaign gets off the ground, it will gain widespread support and many people will take up the message.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid...icle%2FShowFull