MacKillop College students Amelia Humphreys and Niamh de Groot are determined to help preserve the environment for future generations.

The pair has backed the Ban the Bag – Reuse the Bag campaign, particularly raising awareness among school students.

Shoppers are encouraged to embrace reusable and sustainable bags and reject single-use plastic bags. 

The campaign calls for Port Macquarie-Hastings Council to act to ensure retailers do not provide their customers with single-use non-biodegradable plastic bags.

Amelia said she really cared about the environment.

“I would like to see change in Port Macquarie and we have to get involved to do that,” she said.

“I think with the support of everyone in the community, we will definitely see change.”

Amelia, 17, said a lot of people were already changing their attitudes when they shopped.

She encouraged people to be as environmentally friendly as they could.

“Bring your own bags, and try to take your own coffee cups and drink bottles,” Amelia said.

The two teenagers have taken their message to social media, promoted the petition and raised awareness of the issue with their peers.

A Facebook challenge to create more awareness asks people to pose at the front of a store with a re-useable/biodegradable bag and post it on Facebook using the hashtag #banthebagportmacquarie.

Niamh said the Ban the Bag – Reuse the Bag campaign aimed to decrease the plastic pollution in the environment and save wildlife.

“We want to change and preserve our environment for the future generation, which is why we are attempting to create awareness about it in the schools especially,” the 16-year-old said.

“I think it’s important for people our age to appreciate and consider how lucky we are to live in the beautiful place we do, and how crucial it is to preserve and protect it.”

Amelia and Niamh were interviewed by one of their environmental studies school teachers, Year 10 was set a challenge to make videos to raise awareness and students recreated a Star Wars space battle between plastic bags and marine life.

Maria Doherty and Linda Perkins, who started the campaign in the Hastings, have called on the council to take action.

The petition will be presented to Port Macquarie-Hastings Council on July 19.

Ms Doherty said the community response had been overwhelmingly positive.

“I just can’t believe how the community has rallied behind this and how overwhelming the support is,” she said.

People can click here to access the petition and click here to learn more at the campaign’s Facebook page.