Rent-a-cup, donate-a-bag: new schemes aim to break shackles of plastic HD

Taiwan has emerged as a leader in Asia when it comes to reusing and recycling waste, such as disposable plastic utensils. The government recently rolled out the first phase of its ban on plastic straws, as shoppers become increasingly eager to lower their environmental impact. But surveys show that a tremendous amount of plastic waste continues to come from well-meaning shoppers, who simply forget their tote bag, or get caught without one during an impulse purchase. The data shows that tote bags are only better for the planet if they're reused at least 131 times. You can guess not many bags make it to that point. But that could be about to change, with the rise of commercial schemes like cup rentals and bag stations. Here's our Sunday special report.Lu Wei-cheng has come to the supermarket for groceries. At the checkout, he realizes he’s forgotten to bring a bag with him. Many shoppers fork over extra cash for a plastic bag, but more and more people have begun to bring their own reusable bags.Huang Shu-ching has returned home from the convenience store, where she stocked up on beverages. This tote bag is one of her favorites. It is just one of the many in her collection.It’s a situation many families can relate to. One corner of the home is devoted to storing paper, plastic and reusable bags.Chiang Pen-chihNew Taipei environmental officialA few years ago, people starting seeing it as fashionable to have eco-friendly bags – it started trending. At events like anniversary celebrations and cosmetics promotions, eco-friendly bags have become a popular gift. Even agencies and schools hand out eco-friendly bags at events.Eco-friendly bags now fill up our homes, but most bags only get used a few times.Chang Kai-tingGreenpeace activistIf we truly do use these paper bags and eco-friendly bags only once, then such bags are absolutely not better for the environment. Tote bags are made with cotton, and cotton production uses up a lot of water. Chiang Pen-chihNew Taipei environmental officialThe calculations show that one cotton bag has to be reused 131 times for optimal effect.Takeout cups also take a toll on the environment. Beverage shops abound in Taiwan and in the summer, many take to the streets with a cold beverage in hand. Taiwan goes through roughly 15 billion plastic cups per year. Sung Yi-chenEntrepreneurSome folks get to the beverage shop and realize they forgot to bring their reusable cup. For others, the concept of reusable cups never crosses their mind.Sung Yi-chen says that impulse buys account for a large proportion of single-use plastic waste. In her hometown of Tainan, she and her partner Lee Yi-ho started a business to cut down on the use of disposable plastic. Their company rents out reusable cups.Lee Yi-hoEntrepreneurYou just need to be one of our members and then when you go to a store, use our app or messaging software. You can tell the store personnel that you need a cup and they will give you one of our cups to use.Subscribed membe