Umbrella bags in the spotlight

WHEN it suddenly rains while you are out on the street, it is nice to pop into a shopping mall. But what do you do with your wet umbrella? 

To avoid making the floor wet, most malls provide umbrella bags at the entrance. These are made of plastic and can be reused. But the environmental group Greeners Action (綠領行動) found in a survey that 51 percent of people throw the bags away after using them once. Only 26 percent reuse the bags and 9 percent recycle them. 

Greeners Action was concerned. It urged malls to pledge to reduce umbrella bags or stop distributing them. It also suggested that they provide umbrella drying machines and racks instead.

(This article is published on Goodies on 1 September 2016)