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NewsvineFuture Stanford students may have another option for toting their purchases to and from the Stanford Bookstore if a student-initiated project to sell reusable bags is realized.
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According to Stanford Bookstore Director Stacy Zapko, the idea for replacing plastic bags with an environmentally friendly option was discussed at various times by Bookstore administrators, but the true momentum came from undergraduates Bethany Wylie ‘10 and Rachel Kraus ‘10.
“We just emailed the manager of the Bookstore and proposed our idea,” Wylie said. “She said it was really cool and said that she wanted to get started as soon as possible.”
According to Wylie, the Bookstore is using its own supply company to produce the bags. The material for the bags has currently not been decided.
According to Zapko and Kraus, cloth and recycled plastic bottles are being considered.
Kraus claimed that, because of significant time delays between manufacturing and implementation, the bags will be introduced next year.
“It takes three weeks for them to get the bags done,” Wylie said. “Not that many people will be around during the summer to see them.”
The organizers of the initiative would ideally like to see the complete phasing out of non-reusable bags at the Bookstore, but they acknowledged that a significant usage reduction is probably a more realistic goal.
“Initially, the reusable bag will be selling exactly at cost,” Zapko said. “You can get the free plastic bag if you need the bag, but these will be offered as an alternative.”
In order to increase awareness, the Bookstore is sponsoring a competition for the design that will be displayed on the bag with a $250 prize for the winning entry.
While the original deadline is tomorrow, the contest organizers are planning to extend the deadline by one week. Submissions are currently being accepted at the Bookstore customer service desk.
“There are some great designs so far,” said Bookstore Marketing and Event Planning Manager Michele Carson. “It’s exciting.”
Bookstore administrators see the bags as part of a greater measure to curtail the Bookstore’s environmental footprint.
According to Carson, cashiers have been trained to ask students whether or not they want a bag. Zapko said that the University is also planning to introduce measures that emphasize recycling of bookstore products.
“We are getting ready to place plastic bins in the front of the store so that people can bring their plastic bags to recycle,” Zapko said. “Green is our future, and that’s where we’re headed.”