A local environmental campaign to make Jesmond a plastic-bag free zone was launched this week on Acorn Road.

The aim of the Transition Jesmond campaign, dubbed, “Greening Jesmond”, is to discourage shops from distributing free plastic bags and encouraging shoppers to use their own. Supporters of the campaign include local retailers Timpsons, Taylor’s Fish Shop, Oxfam Books, Café 1901, Me Me Me Designer Jewellery and Jules.

Campaign organiser Tony Waterston also visited West Jesmond Primary School this week as part of its Ecofestival week. “The school morning was very encouraging,” he told JesmondLocal. “Hopefully the children will pass the message on to their parents about reducing plastic bag usage.”

On Acorn Road, stickers with “green leaf” symbols on shop entrances will now show shoppers how committed each trader is to supporting this campaign on a scale of one to three. “Although it hasn’t been easy we’ve had a largely positive reaction from the shops,” said Waterston. “It’s now down to the public to make the process work.”

“We encourage all shoppers to keep an eye out that the featured stores aren’t giving away free plastic bags,” he added.

According to Waterston, Transition Jesmond plans to step up its green crusade by widening the plastic bag free zone, encourage the use of solar energy and lobby for traffic-free roads.

Photographs: Olwyn Hocking