Ready to kickstart the Christmas holiday, different Santa impersonators have taken to central Melbourne dressed in green to call shoppers out on the use of plastic bags.
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Six weeks after the state became one of the last to ban single-use plastic bags, Sustainability Victoria has dressed Santa in his historical alternative colour to hand out free re-usable tote bags.
"The holiday period is one of the busiest times of the year and we want to support Victorians to develop better bag habits throughout this season," communications director Katie Pahlow said.
Research carried out by the state sustainable authority highlights that on average three quarters of Victorians are already using re-usable bags when shopping.
Penalties for the supply or manufacture of plastic bags after the ban was applied stretch to $6000 for individuals and $30,000 for corporations.
In the past, Australians have used up to 10 million plastic bags every day. Only three per cent of Australia's plastic bags are currently being recycled.
Australians produce a 30 per cent more waste at Christmas, claims the Chapel Street Precinct Association.
For that reason, it joined Sustainability Victoria on its idea and put another "woke" green Santa in Chapel Street on Thursday.
"Chapel Street is evolving and so too has our beloved Santa. He's done his homework to reflect our diverse community," association general manager Chrissie Maus said.
In 2016, Chapel Precinct replaced Santa Claus with drag queens, aiming to promote inclusivity and diversity.
Australian Associated Press
