It's the numbers that drive Jenny Galey to pick up the knitting needles each day.

Numbers like 700 million – the estimated number of supermarket plastic bags New Zealanders take home each year.

Numbers like 1.29 billion – all of the plastic bags we use each year carrying home takeaways, clothing purchases, any purchases, five per week per person, everyone in the country and every week of the year.

The number 12 is also very motivational for Jenny. Because each of those plastic bags is in use for about 12 minutes before being dropped, clogging our landfills, polluting our waterways, blown into the bushes and oceans or, perhaps, recycled or stuffed in a drawer for re-use.

One hundred is also a special number for Jenny. One hundred is about the number of years it takes for one plastic shopping bag to break down.

And in her own small way down on 14th Avenue, the 70-year-old is cutting into that problem, trying to make a small difference, saving the world one plastic shopping bag at a time.

Jenny Galey meets you at her garage door in a black poncho made from plastic shopping bags. And she ushers you into a living room scattered with plastic bag teddy bears, plastic bag beach bags and plastic bag wine carriers.

There are also huge bags of plastic shopping bags just waiting for Jenny to weave, or knit, her magic. And she can talk endlessly about plastic shopping bags and what can be done with them.

'I was lonely and had plenty of spare time until a friend steered me to making teddy bears out of disused plastic supermarket bags.” She's now made 25.

And 20 plastic bags equals one teddy bear every couple of days. Jenny gets up, gets her day started, turns on the TV and gets knitting.

'My grandson said it was all very well, but he didn't want a teddy bear, he wanted a beach bag.” So she started knitting beach bags, complete with plastic bag inside for the wet gear. 'People starting picking it – a beach bag with yellow highlights came from Pak ‘n Save, an orange one from Mitre 10.” They're bright, interesting, practical and strong.

Then she went through her pattern book, found a pattern, adapted that pattern and made a poncho. It's had a couple of public outings. 'It's certainly a talking point. People think it's made of leather. They're amazed.”

Then came the wine bottle carriers. She was also impressed that a young local woman had made a wedding dress from plastic supermarket bags.

'The possibilities are limitless,” says Jenny. 'And I have plenty of plastic bags and endless time on my hands.” Sometimes she sits up until 3am to finish a project.

Jenny would like to start a group of knitters – sit around once a week, chat, have a cup of tea and help knit the world out of a pollution problem. 'Call me,” she says. 'I have plenty of bags. I'm on: 07 579 0217.”

One woman dropped by Jenny's place and had a handbag made from plastics bags that was 20 years old. 'It shows that the idea isn't new, but it also demonstrates things made of plastic are durable.”

The major supermarket chains have all indicated that they are reducing the use of plastic bags and looking at more sustainable options. 'I don't think that will affect me,” says Jenny. Because the supermarkets only produce half the problem. 'I think there will always be plastic bag pollution in my lifetime.”

So the knitting needles will continue to clack merrily into the wee small hours on 14th Avenue.

'I just want to give plastic bags another use, and turn a problem into something practical.”