With What the Bag’ officially launched, there’s no ducking the plastic police
What Bag? held its official launch at the beautiful venue of Oaks on Main in Knysna last week. Under a tree surrounded by sunshine and nature, people came together to celebrate the debut of this local campaign with its special message for the world.
“If we want to see a future that is going to look different to what is being predicted today, then I think we need to start speaking up and taking action,” said 17-year-old What the Bag? founder Sahara Thagunna during a passionate and inspiring opening address.
The attention to detail with which she constructed the launch was clear. “An example of biomimicry herself!” quipped guest speaker Sue Swain of Bio Wise fame.
Old whiskey advertising signs were upcycled to create banners, and leftover scraps of cloth were used to create name tags. Everything served as an example of biomimicry principles at work: using what one has in hand, and seeing waste as a resource.
And these same principles give the What the Bag? campaign its bones, as Thagunna uses donated “waste” fabrics to sew into shopping bags, and produces these bags by herself, from scratch.
“The campaign is about raising awareness, spreading education and helping to curb the use of plastic bags,” Thagunna said, adding that no price tag was attached to the bags she handed out for free.
All she asks in return is that you pledge your use of the bags and “pay it forward” by telling one other person about the campaign and the message around plastic bags. “Its all about creating that mushroom effect of connected change,” she explained.
Launch guests included representatives from Knysna Municipality and SAN Parks. With a turn-out of about 40 people, one may well start hoping that Knysna is ready for a positive eco-change.
After Swain shared some information on biomimicry and the ways in which we could emulate nature to live more integrated lives, Thagunna recapped how she started the campaign and the motivation behind it.
The young eco-activist told of her early interest in creating change and how she, from as young as eight years of age, wanted to become president in order to create that change.
“I realise now that you don’t need to be president or in a power position to create change. As normal people, we actually have more control, because we are the ones voting for the future we want by the everyday choices we make.”
When the talking was done, everyone in attendance received one of Thagunnas beautiful bags in a variety of colours, which were displayed in woven baskets for everyone to choose his/her very own bag. The prevailing sentiment was being touched by Thagunnas selfless message for change, and pride in her inspiring initiative.
As a final word, Thagunna jokingly exclaimed: “If I see you walking around with plastic bags instead of these reusable ones. I will have to stop you – the plastic police are here!”
Contact Sahara Thagunna at infowhatthebag@gmail.com or visit www.sourcesahara.wixsite.com/whatthebag for more information.
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