Boomerang Bags is a worldwide movement that provides resources for communities to make bags from recycled materials for shoppers to use for free.

Plastic Free Braidwood is a new group in town, who are aiming to help reduce the Braidwood’s environmental impact by working with residents, business’s and community groups to steadily reduce the town’s plastic use.

“I believe that lots of people doing small things can make a huge difference. The Boomerang Bag initiative is just one answer to the plastic problem we have all created,” says local resident and organiser of Plastic Free Braidwood, Amanda Burton.

Braidwood Quilters Inc. will be hosting bag-making workshops where local residents are invited to get hands on. All bags will be made from recycled, locally sourced materials and the Boomerang Bag stands will be built by the Braidwood Men’s Shed.

Initially, shoppers will be able to pickup free bags from the Boomerang Bag stand at Provisions Grocery & Deli and will be invited to borrow and bring back the hand-made reusable bags or keep them to reuse.

“We want to help bring awareness to the issue and give consumers the option to reduce their use of plastic in their daily shop,” says Lea Barrett, owner of Provisions Grocery & Deli.

Currently only five per cent of single-use plastics disposed of are recycled, and around 50 per cent end up in landfill. Much of the remaining discarded plastic is ultimately washed out to sea through drains and waterways where sunlight and wave action causes the plastic to fragment and threaten our marine life.

“In just a few generations our reliance on plastics has created environmental problems like overcrowded landfills, groundwater and soil contamination, and ocean debris that has caused the death of marine life all around the world,” says Bec Klomp from Upper Shoalhaven Landcare.

To follow our progress, find out about our launch event, or learn how you can help, please find us on Facebook at Plastic Free Braidwood or email upper.shoalhaven.coordinator@gmail.com.