There was a second 'No Plastic Bag Day' held just last weekend for 2010. But we only see the positive side of the campaign.

We seem to be only targeting urban areas - what about those in rural areas?

Passing through a mall that weekend, I overheard a manager and his staff conversing about the 'No Plastic Bag Day'.

The manager declined to follow the ruling, saying that if they sold plastic bags for 20 cents, no one would shop at their store.

Then I visited a hypermarket at Mid Valley and found a bag marked for recycling full of rubbish.

Do people even understand the concept of 'No Plastic Bag Day'?

By rejecting plastic bags, you help to conserve the environment. Chemicals found in plastic containers have also been linked to heart diseases.

Although the risks are relatively low, people need to be aware that staying away from plastic bags is also good for your health.

'No Pastic Bag Day' shouldn't be limited to just plastic bags but other recyclables that will bring benefits to our life and the earth.

Finally and yet importantly, the government plays a very important role in this campaign.

Education should be implemented at the grassroots level who have relatively poor knowledge of keeping the environment safe.

Sam Wong is information, standard and quality executive at the Malaysian Association of Standards Users.