Environmentalists in Oregon are calling for people to use reusable shopping bags.

Environmental campaigners in Oregon are encouraging shoppers to either buy paper bags for a small fee or bring their own reusable carrier bags with them.

Eugene City Council is poised to ban thin, single-use plastic bags, The Register Guard reports.

This would see residents forced to find alternative ways to carry their shopping.

Oregon environmentalists told the site that they are excited about the new legislation and are looking to promote reusable shopping bags.

Sarah Higginbotham, director of Environment Oregon, said: "We are thrilled and excited when people use [reusable bags] as an alternative."

This is a sentiment echoed by many other organisations, who are urging the council to ban plastic bags, a move they hope will eventually translate into a statewide prohibition.

The council is scheduled to vote on the plastic bag ban on October 22nd, following calls from locals to clean up the city and reduce environmental waste.

Any such ban would prohibit all shops from providing the thin, single-use plastic bags, aside from those establishments which sell produce, meat and bulk food and department stores who offer thicker plastic bags.

Each paper bag would then cost a minimum of 5 cents, a request made by the Northwest Grocery Association to help cover any extra costs.

This will also encourage customers to bring their own reusable bags when they head out shopping.

While the issue is due to be discussed next month, Higginbotham went on to say that environmentalists will be talking with legislators to gauge the chance for success in early 2013.

"We will pursue a plastic bag ban if we have the right momentum and it looks like we will be successful," she explained.

Should Eugene's ban come into effect the city will join more than 80 communities across the US who have also adopted similar policy.

We offer a wide range of environmentally friendly options from paper bags to our customisable cotton bags. Please don’t hesitate to contact us today to find out more