Climate Action: Bag revolution shows we can all make a difference

It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking there is nothing we can do about climate change and environmental breakdown, but the truth is that we can make a difference – especially if we link up with others.

From the acorn of an idea, a mighty oak can spread, as shown by Claire Morsman, a young woman living on a canal boat in London in the mid-2000s. She wanted to come up with a solution to all the plastic bags that were clogging up the waterways. She, with her mother’s help, thought up the idea of a reusable bag, made from unwanted fabric that could be made at home using a simple, freely available pattern.

And so Morsbags were invented… nothing to do with Oxford-based detectives! From the start the bags were free. At first this was to counter the free plastic bags in shops, but now it is to emphasize the importance of the plastic-free message for the environment, to make the bags easier to distribute and to encourage a conversation with recipients about the importance of reducing all sorts of unnecessary packaging.

Market Harborough has been involved from very early on in the campaign.

In 2008 members of the Harborough Improvement Team were invited to a national environmental event in London, where the idea of Morsbags was promoted and soon after that the idea spread countrywide. Local groups were set up, called pods, and the mission has always been environmental rather than money raising, aiming to keep as much waste of all kinds out of the oceans. Quite a few pods were set up in Leicestershire, one of them being Harborough HIT Bags, later Harborough Morsbags, which is one of the most successful pods in the world with about 20 members. Over the past 15 or so years it has made about 44,000 bags. The local pod is part of Sustainable Harborough Community.

Locally we always need more fabric which should be clean and suitable for making bags. It can be donated at The Village on St Mary’s Road, Pressing Appointments on Coventry Road or the council offices in the Symington buildings. We can often be found at stalls and giveaways at local events, and we try to support local independent shops with bags. For more information see our Facebook page or email [email protected].