Community Education
There are a number of ways to approach community education to change peoples perception on plastic bags 

• Educating students on the impact of plastic bags on the environment and have the students influence their parents understanding of the issue.
• Use local information and statistics to demonstrate how each one of us, as individuals, contributes to the problem.
• Having retailers understand that issuing single use plastic shopping bags is not seen as being environmentally responsible by the vast majority of their clients
• Connecting people to the issue through displays, posters, media comments and statements
• Conducting initiatives and events to highlight the issue and offering alternatives

 Social Marketing and behavioural Change

Social Marketing is about implementing strategies and approaches, which change the way people, will carry their shopping. The desired outcome is that through these interventions, a critical mass of people will stop using plastic shopping bags

• School/students being active citizens in influencing adults in their community
• Offer recognition, provide incentives for people using alternative ways to carry their shopping
• Offer disincentives for people wanting to use plastic shopping bags
• Reduce the number of plastic bags being issued by retailers. This includes
  - Providing options for alternative shopping bags
  - Training of retail staff to assist shoppers make the transition to alternative ways to carry their shopping

Possible initiatives for Local Government

• Create a slogan for your community – set a community goal
• Sponsor Alternative bags and have your slogan printed on the bags
• Introduce a buy back of plastic bags
• Provide Bins for plastic bags collection at Shopping Centre's and Schools
• Build BAG SMART program into your twelve month calendar
• Run Sustainability workshops for students
• Shopping Centre promotion
• Student play competition of the Theme of the issue of plastic bags
• Fund an introductory bag for a partnering school to distribute to their community
• Video making competition on plastic bag
• Have a group of students in the local school plan and run the campaign
• Plastic Bags free fete/events
• Design a Bag Competition
• Survey of residents on the issue
• Run a poster competition for students
• Provide prizes for the campaign
• Certificates of participation
• Celebration events
• And many more creative ways