Resident wants plastic bags banned

Aaron Lockwood and Seb Binnewies want Burleigh Heads to be the first Gold Coast suburb to go plastic-bag free.

David Stuart

Poll

Should plastic bags be banned in Australia?

This poll ended on 31 December 2011.

Yes

66%

No

33%

This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.

COVERED in hundreds of plastic bags is a man who wants Burleigh to be the first suburb on the Gold Coast to ban them.

Surfrider Foundation member and Palm Beach resident Seb Binnewies spent Saturday dressed as the Bag Monster in Burleigh Heads to raise awareness of the environmental damage and wastefulness associated with plastic bags. The keen surfer said it would not be difficult to ban plastic bags.

"In Germany they don't give out plastic bags.

"We are trying to get this same ruling here on the Gold Coast," Mr Binnewies said.

While Mr Binnewies didn't need any help getting noticed but he did need help to cross roads in his vision-impairing plastic costume.

Rise Above Plastics Burleigh Heads volunteer Aaron Lockwood was on hand to offer support.

Carrying a sign that read "Don't feed the bag monster", Mr Lockwood said he was happy with the public response.

"Everyone's been pretty positive," he said.

"People know about it but it's a good visual way to get their attention."

Mr Lockwood said it was about more than only consumers changing their behaviour.

"We've got to get the business operators on board," he said. "And we are also trying to get council on board.

"We are hoping to get Burleigh as the first Gold Coast suburb to go plastic-bag-free."

The two men were also promoting a fundraising night that would feature a documentary about plastic bags and their environmental impacts.

The Surfrider Foundation film night featuring the Bag It documentary will kick off at 6pm on Tuesday, October 4, at Pointbreak Bar and Grill.