Sewing workshop supports island ecology—Aug. 1, 2019

What some see as a problem, others see as an opportunity.

Cozumel works to protect the environment, but the millions of plastic bags generated in Mexico each year pose a threat to the island’s wildlife. The “Sin Bolsa, Por Favor” (No Bag, Please) program was spearheaded by Cozumel’s Municipal Department of Ecology and sponsoring companies that include local branches of supermarket chains. According to the Cozumel4You online forum, this program is the first in Mexico to attempt to influence 100,000 residents and 3 million yearly visitors not to use disposable plastic bags for their shopping. 

 Yesterday, Friends of Cozumel offered a sewing workshop at the DIF Senior Center where participants learned how to make market bags. Volunteers helped turn piles of donated fabric into sturdy bags to be used over and over.  

Carmen first learned how to make a market bag at an FOC sewing workshop last January. She had an idea: could she support her family by making the bags more upscale and selling them outside one of the large grocery stores? She decided to decorate the bags with handmade fabric flowers she also learned to make at the workshop and priced them at $130 pesos–about $7 US. The price was fairly steep for many, but not every shopper. So far, she has sold seven of the bags and plans to make more.

The simple act of sewing and using reusable bags has now become a tangible way help to protect Cozumel’s environment. And that is a very good thing. Felicidades (Congratulations), people of Cozumel.

~ Phyllis from Nebraska

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