billion bag dent

["Tim Hicks" <thicks@no.address>]

Here's an item for your public waste reduction programs.  

See article below.

Tim D. Hicks
Zero Waste Coordinator
City of Nelson in partnership with RDCK
 
Email:  zerowaste@no.address
Phone:  (250) 352-8272
Fax:  (250) 352-2131


_______________________________________________________________________

As it appeared in the "Waste Not" column of the Kootenay Express
Newspaper Nelson, BC, Canada 
October 26, 2005

BILLION BAG DENT BEGINS

Anyone who has ever washed a plastic bag knows that drying it can be a
sloppy endeavour.  After becoming fed-up with soggy plastic bags
festooned all over his kitchen, Nelson based designer Kaj Gyr of Agora
Designs came up with a simple solution to the wet plastic bag problem.  

Simply called The Bag Dryer, this functional piece of art is so engaging
to look at that it compels you to use it.  Having sold over 100,000
units in the U.S. during the past 13 years, the patented Bag Dryer has
proven its mettle at drying bags in style in many a household south of
the border.

Although the dryer is manufactured in Nelson using local hardwoods, only
recently has it been available outside of the U.S.  With the goal of
encouraging wide spread re-use of plastic bags rather than single use,
Agora Designs is now promoting the apparatus world wide.  "We want to
get the word out there and create a world wide community of people who
are aware of reducing use of plastic bags," explains Paul Edney, Agora's
Communications Director.

When Paul first ventured into the practise of washing plastic bags at
his home he experienced the woes of trying to find a tidy and effective
way to dry plastic bags.  "When I heard about the Bag Dryer I thought it
sounded great," explains Paul.  "I said to Kaj, 'you should be selling a
million of these things, because there's very little awareness about
reusing plastic bags out there beyond this community.'"  

Fired with enthusiasm fuelled by the convenience value of the dryer and
its ability to reduce waste, Agora Designs is endeavouring to make a
billion bag dent in the consumption of plastic bags world wide by the
year 2010.  An internet based "bagometer" will chronicle the amount of
plastic bags avoided through the use of cloth bags and re-use of plastic
bags.  

The Bag Dryer can be purchased online for $19 and Agora is donating a
hefty portion of its sales to charity.  When you purchase a bag dryer
online three dollars will be contributed to a non-profit group of your
choice.  Choose from an assortment of Nelson based community groups and
a couple international charities.  Visit www.thebagdryer.com to purchase
your dryer and participate in the bagometer.