The Cork Environmental Forum estimates that some 800 million single-use plastic bags are handed out every year in the county.
Most of them end up cluttering landfill sites or despoiling the countryside and city streets.
In short, plastic bags, and especially their wasteful use, have become a serious environmental problem.
The solution, says the forum, is to banish single-use plastic bags in Cork by January 1st, 2005.
Starting early next month, and with the aid of 20 key supermarkets throughout Cork city and county, a reusable "bag for life" policy will be introduced in participating stores.
As part of the co-ordinated plan, the forum has enlisted the support of Cork Corporation and County Council, as well as various local community and environmental organisations.
Shoppers will be encouraged to bring their own reusable bags or boxes, and those who do not and who spend £15 on groceries will be given the reusable bag.
Naturally, the colour of the "bag for life" will be green.
The campaign will get under way on February 5th next, with prizes for shoppers who bring their own environmentally friendly bags with them.
There will be £50 shopping vouchers on offer in the stores, and the Department of the Environment is also offering £50 cash prizes. The slogan for the week is: "It's your Environment - It's your Decision."
According to the forum, this is a real opportunity for people to do something positive and make a difference.
"We are hoping that people will see the sense of this. Everyone can start right now, today, by bringing their own bags and making it a new habit.
`It's such simple maths. Every time you reuse a bag for shopping, it's one less bag in the dump," a spokesman said.