Along with hopes and dreams [of going back to normality], the new year brought us a ban on plastics in Oman.

Although we had heard the rumours for a while, the days leading up to the new change, a lot of us were quite confused what it actually meant. What was permitted and what would potentially mean jail time?? (No joke, seriously, that could actually be the case since here if you run a red light, you spend a night in jail)

The main question on everyone’s mind was: Would the bin bags still be available to purchase in the supermarkets?

And the answer, you’ll be glad to know, is yes. The bin bags are still available to buy, so no need to panic on that front.

I’ve come to understand that the ban means a ban on single-use plastics, which at the moment only seems to cover the free plastic shopping bags that would have normally been given at the supermarket counters. Instead, we are now prompted to purchase reusable bags, including those made of fabric, as well as the stronger plastic type (what is known as a “bag for life” elsewhere). So, we are basically catching up to what some other countries had implemented a few years back. Of course, it goes without saying that the simplest thing to do in this case is to bring your own reusable bags every shopping trip and store them in the boot of your car so as not to forget.

The problem is, a lot us had become really accustomed to receiving more than our fair share’s worth of Lulu bags over the years, with the nice people who were bagging (yes we are spoilt here) being very generous with the number of bags they gave us to take home. But somehow that surplus of supplies seemed to run out within a few days for us at home and we were left wondering what to use for our various needs (small bins, potty nappies, food waste etc.).

I’m ashamed to admit that I’m not a very environmentally conscious person, even with a degree heavily focused on urban change. Or I am conscious about the importance of being so but I just don’t do much about it, as is the case with most of us, sadly.

Yes, I don’t litter and in London and Sydney I do separate out the rubbish for recycling. But that’s the extent of it really, and I could do much more. And what’s worse is, here in Muscat, forget recycling, we get through SO many plastic water bottles in just one week, since we don’t drink tap water here. Many opt for large water dispensers, but personally we haven’t gone for that yet. And then, as I mentioned, there’s the gazillion plastic carrier bags we had been collecting from supermarket trips.

So this new change has forced me to rethink my ways and make minor adjustments to find solutions to what I like to call the “what can I use as a bag?” challenge. So I’ll share my findings here and maybe it will help you if you find yourself wondering the same.

The most obvious replacement for a bag is well, another bag, and we’ve been using this trick since before the ban too, as most people probably have too. We save the clear plastic bags that we bring fruits and vegetables home in and reuse them when we need a small bag for any purpose. It’s quite annoying when a tag is used to fasten it though (so it has to be ripped open) rather than a simple knot (which can be undone), but this doesn’t stop me reusing the bag. You can just make the opening smaller with a knot or a piece of tape and hey presto, it’s back to being a perfectly usable bag.

Currently, the plastic ban does not seem to apply to these small clear plastic bags and they are still available and freely provided at the supermarkets, so for now the above approach is possible. Yes I know the best thing to do is use reusable fabric bags for this purpose, but let’s take it one step at a time.

So what else? It’s simple, really. When you start thinking creatively you will find all sorts of things you can use as bags, and all of these items come from the packaging of everyday-use items that would otherwise go straight in the bin: containers from take-out meals, bread packaging, toilet roll packaging, the packets nappies and wipes and sanitary pads come in, the plastic cover on packets of multiple tissue boxes…and the list goes on. Literally, think outside the box.

So there we have it, I have learnt to become more conscious about reusing, and it took very little effort. Even though this was a forced response to the plastic ban, it has made me reflect on how I can make minor lifestyle adjustments to contribute to a better environment. This was my first step in becoming more environmentally conscious (and acting upon it), and hopefully with time I will make more changes, and be more active in becoming a better Earth-citizen. My next step should probably be an attempt at finding out how to recycle in Muscat (as far as I know we don’t have recycle bins in our local area).

I do recognise we may not have the luxury of time, so let’s all try to act sooner rather than later.