Ideas to help shoppers save Earth are in the bag

Pretty soon, 'Paper or plastic?' may be a question of the past.

Last week, IKEA North America became the latest major retailer to bag plastic bags.

The Swedish furniture company, which broke ground on a 356,000-square-foot store in Charlotte on Wednesday, set a goal last year of decreasing plastic bag use by 50 percent to 35 million in 12 months. To do so, the company sold plastic bags for a nickel and reusable bags for 59 cents.

The plan worked.

According to the retailer, 92 percent of customers shunned plastic bags. As for the other 8 percent, IKEA donated all of their nickels — more than $300,000 worth —to America Forests to plant trees.

The company will discontinue the use of all plastic bags stateside in October, having already pulled then in the United Kingdom in June, and in Australia in December.

Whole Foods Market also has joined the fight against plastic bags, which have been taking hits for their poor recycling rates and the fact that they are made from nonrenewable petrochemicals, which can take more than 1,000 years to break down.

The Texas-based organic supermarket chain plans to stop offering plastic bags by the end of the month, estimating the move will keep 100 million bags out of landfills this year alone.

The grocer offers incentives for shoppers who choose its 99-cent canvas alternative bag by giving a 10-cent credit.

What started as a grass-roots movement to put the brakes on plastic bags has quickly become more of a trend, and a trendy one at that.

In October, Wal-Mart began selling reusable bags made from recycled plastic bottles for $1, and on Jan. 13, Target introduced red reusable totes that retail for 99 cents and $1.49.

Also in January, World Market gave away canvas sacks to shoppers who spent $25 or more.

The trend is so far-reaching, in fact, that China has established a plastic bag ban, which will go into effect June 1.

The ban has led to the closure of Huaqiang factory, the country's largest manufacturer of plastic bags, the Associated Press reported.

Reach Abi Nicholas at 937-5524 or anicholas@postandcourier.com.