It’s in the Bag

Knowing that plastic bags at grocery stores are a huge litter problem, Halifax County Quality of Place Work Group wanted to do something about it.  This organization is a product of the community strategic plan conducted by the Halifax County Chamber of Commerce last year.  Community leaders volunteer their time and talent to make a difference in the county where they live and work.

They applied to Keep Virginia Beautiful’s Green Grants program in the Recycling category, with the desire to change the littering and recycling culture in the county in southwest Virginia.

Their plan was to use their farmers markets to implement a campaign called, “It’s in the Bag.”  Two markets — Downtown South Boston Farmer’s Market and Town of Halifax Farmer’s Market – each set up a “Litter Prevention Station.” These stations gave a reusable mesh bag to customers.  They also had a receptacle there to collect used plastic bags for recycling.

During the campaign, volunteers at tables at the farmers markets were able to use the opportunity to talk with the public, give them informational material, answer questions, and educate them on the value of taking and using a reusable mesh produce bag instead of the single-use disposable plastic bags that are commonly available.

Josie Turcotte, Secretary of the Quality of Place Work Group, said their “It’s in the Bag” campaign was a success.  Although presented with some challenges with COVID restrictions and guidelines, they were able to distribute 348 reusable produce bags at the farmers market this past Summer.  She said the campaign was a good platform to be able to talk to community members on the effects of litter, and begin to create a litter-free culture.

They also collected over 2,000 used plastic bags for recycling!

Thank you Halifax County for caring about the problem with plastic bags, and for taking steps to move your community members towards better recycling habits.