The days of children being seen but not heard are thankfully consigned to the past but many parents who have endured pester power at its worst could be forgiven for occasionally mourning their passing. For all too often youngsters are targeted by advertisers who know they are hard to beat when it comes to getting parents to part with their cash.

However, a new scheme up and running across the Shipley and Bingley area is looking to harness the not inconsiderable persuasive talents of the area's youngsters for a higher purpose. A local superstore hopes children will become its secret weapon in persuading shoppers to ditch plastic carrier bags and instead use a bag for life', an altogether more environmentally-friendly option.

In return, the store promises vouchers which can be swapped for equipment which can be used by pupils in their studies, such as microscopes. The scheme comes as moves to make Saltaire, Bradford's World Heritage Site, plastic-bag-free gather pace.

At present, such initiatives are the exception, rather than the norm, and each day thousands of fresh plastic bags are still handed out free by shops, used only once, and then ultimately dumped in landfill, an entirely un-green waste of resources. While these projects will not change that on their own, they still deserve to be well supported. For this is a war of attrition and if they are successful, there will be others.