Do YOU re-use plastic bags?

Around 13 billion bags are given free to UK shoppers every year - but campaigners say they're bad for the environment.

Now one big shop - Marks and Spencer - is starting to charge food customers 5p for ordinary plastic bags, and will give the money to charity.

Click here to find out more about climate change

So what do YOU think of the idea? Is it unfair to make people pay for bags, or should they take their own along when they hit the shops?

And do YOU re-use plastic bags, or perhaps you mean to and just keep forgetting?

Email us and let us know!

Unfortunately this topic is now closed but there are Comments pages on other subjects on the main Chat index.

Your comments

"I don't think it's a very good idea to charge people 5p for plastic bags because they should just stop selling them all together!!"

Sharon, 12, London, England

"My mum uses old carriers instead of new ones."

Harriet, 8, South Humberside, England

"Me and my family can be very eco-friendly. We re-use our plastic shopping bags for our stuff, but I think 5p for each plastic bag is ridiculous."

Molly, 13, Wales

"Plastic bags should not be used at all. My mum uses greaseproof paper for my packed lunch and re-usable bags for shopping. She uses biodegradable bags for the bins when needed and we recycle everything we can, we have to look after our planet."

Jamie, 7, Cambridgeshire, England

"I don't recycle plastic bags but I do recycle from the blue bins that the council gave me. People are still not recycling - come on guys it's important!!"

Jane, 13, Scotland

"I re-use plastic bags to keep my PE kit in and take it to school, but I don't re-use them for shopping."

Chris, 12, Devon, England

"I always use re-useable bags that you get free in magazines."

Shannon, 10, Derry, Northern Ireland

"Paper is just as efficient as plastic bags, so I don't see why more people don't use them!"

Harriet, 11, London, England

"I'm from the Netherlands and over here we don't get bags from big food shops. We bring our own bags to the shop. It is not at all inconvenient because now we are all used to it. I think our system works very well."

Jess, 10, Voorburg, Holland

"I say they should charge you £5 for the one bag."

Brian, 12, Edinburgh, Scotland

"All the time! My mum has lots of plastic bags in the glove compartment of her car and they are very useful!"

Claire, 10, West Midlands, England

"I think we should ban plastic bags and use brown paper bags instead."

Shay, 15, Kent, England

"My family use plastic bags for bins, put more plastic rubbish in them and then we put it all in the plastic recycling bin!"

Maggie, 10, Essex, England

"More supermarkets should charge for plastic bags and make re-useable ones, such as material bags, widely available."

Mandy, 13, Penarth, Wales

"Where can you recycle plastic bags? My mum uses re-useable shopping bags but we want to recycle the plastic ones we sometimes use."

Liz, 13, Northampton, England

"Here in Italy we have to pay a small charge for bags. I believe it's a good thing, as you think twice."

Giulio, 10, Rome, Italy

"I have a re-usable cotton bag, which is brilliant because it doesn't tear. I use it whenever I do the shopping for my mum."

Kate, 12, Surrey, England

"Sorry but I do not re-use plastic bags. In our house we keep them in the kitchen draw!"

Sarah, 10, Staffordshire, England

"Sometimes, but mostly no."

Josie, 10, West Sussex, England

"I think supermarkets should provide free re-usable carrier bags that can be used more than three times because global warming is spoiling our world."

Haleema, 10, Bradford, England

"When you re-use your bags in some shops you get Eco Vouchers for schools. My mum always re-uses her bags."

Caitlin, 10, Greater London

"My family always re-use our bags because plastic bags take ages to decompose!"

Rebecca, 10, Devon, England

"I think we should re-use plastic bags, but they need to make them stronger."

Kayleigh, 12, Lancashire, England

"At home we never use plastic bags, as they're destroying the planet. My mum makes all our gear out of hemp, so we are very eco-conscious and everyone else should be too."

River, 9, Bath, England

"I re-use all of my plastic bags - remember reduce and recycle!"

Arslaan, 11, Birmingham, England

"My family always re-use our plastic bags. I think you will save money like this and you can help the environment."

Faatima, 11, Birmingham, England

"I think it's a great idea! The money goes to a good cause AND fewer people will use plastic bags if they have to pay - so it is environment friendly!"

Jordan, 11, Bedlington, England