7-Eleven announced on Nov 7 their plan "to reduce and cease" the use of plastic at its stores nationwide. It's about time! Can they stop giving away individually wrapped plastic spoons and forks while they're at it?
This got me thinking about the other initiatives major stores and retailers have launched to tackle plastic waste. When you can't avoid buying stuff and creating waste in the same process, at least it's better to know where you can shop more responsibly.
Here are a few green campaigns that would benefit your wallet and Mother Earth.
- 7-Eleven stores nationwide gives you 10 points for every time you pay via its 7 Value Card and refuse plastic bags.
- Tesco Lotus gives you five times the number of green points from 20 to 100, daily until the year end, when you refuse plastic bags.
- The third of every month is No Plastic Bag Day at 279 branches of Central Food Hall and Tops supermarket. You'll receive 8 points on The1Card when you use a reusable shopping bag. If you don't have one, they provide you with a paper box or you can buy a cloth bag for B29. They have also introduced Green Checkout, cashiers for shoppers who bring their own reusable bags or don't use plastic bags, at Tops.
- Until the year end, BIG C Supercenter is giving 300 points on Wednesdays to Big Card members who spend at least 300 baht and turn down plastic bags.
- Home Fresh Mart and Gourmet Market don't give shoppers plastic bags on two days of each month -- the first and the sixteenth. They plan to make it three days a month next year. However, when you shop on any day of the week and refuse plastic bags, you'll receive 10 points on the M Card. One person is entitled to maximum of 100 M Points per day.
- At 47 branches of Robinson, shoppers will receive 10 points on The1Card if they shop plastic-bag free until Dec 31.
- Three branches of 7-Eleven inside Ramathibodi Hospital donates 20 satang to the Ramathibodi Foundationt for every plastic bag refused.
- Bring your own bag when you shop at Supersports to receive an extra 10 points on The1Card until the end of the year. One person can earn up to 30 points per day. g
