A new campaign is calling on Kiwis to say no to plastic bags at the supermarket checkout.
The Bags Not initiative aims to be a grassroots drive to stop the environment being a dumping ground.
Spokesperson James Blackwood says the statistics are appalling.
"Kiwis currently use 1.6 billion single-use plastic bags a year, which is enough plastic bags to smother the entire country twice over."
That's also about 350 for each Kiwi, every year.
- Oriental Bay has some of the world's worst plastic pollution
- Greenpeace's advice on how to avoid using plastic bin bags
He says people need to realise the risks of not putting an end to the use of plastic bags.
"We want to inform and potentially educate the public on what their choices are so they can form decisions when they go to the supermarket or go shopping."
- Helen Clark, Sam Neill and Dr Jane Goodall support plastic bag ban
- How one plastic bag can harm millions of creatures
Actors Pua Magasiva and Jaquie Brown are also getting behind the initiative.
Countdown and New World supermarkets have announced they'll go plastic bag-free by the end of 2018.
Pak'nSave doesn't have plans to ban them just yet, but has for years charged 10c for each one.
Newshub.
