I assume that due to the
Japan Containers and Packaging Recycling Law AEON supermarkets are going to be charging for plastic bags starting in June (story
here).
AEON is not the only company to start going down the eco-friendly road; In late March,
Lawson announced a plan to encourage those with Lawson cards to use their points to get
ケータイお箸 (keitai ohashi), non-disposable chopsticks rather than using 割り箸 (waribashi), those wooden chopsticks that you usually get that are of the one-and-done nature.
Other convenience stores have gotten a head start: Ministop (also a part of AEON) has been selling special chopsticks that are more
eco-friendly than usual (don't ask me how they are eco-friendly, just go with me here).
The whole AEON thing is in keeping with the idea of
マイバッグ (My Bag) as well as the idea of
マイはし (My Hashi) both of which are results of the idea of the 3Rs -- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
Other links:
http://smt.blogs.com/mari_diary/2007/03/a_new_eco_movem.html
