Cloth bags not just a fashion statement

Carrying a cloth shopping bag this summer is not only a fashion statement; it is a sign of rising environmental consciousness.

Since the Chinese government banned free distribution of ultra-thin plastic bags by retail stores in June, the number of plastic bags used at supermarkets in Beijing has dropped about 80 percent, according to the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce.

Last month the government expanded the scope of the regulation to include "wet" (farmer's) markets, restaurants, bookstores and clothing shops.