Plastic bags have been caught up in a current of controversy lately. Across Canada, a number of cities have dared to question how much we are relying on their availability.
In this day and age when there are so many alternatives, why are we still stuck in our ways? Our reliance on disposable plastics of any kind is a reflection of an attitude in need of adjusting.
Canadians’ appetite for the convenience of the disposable plastic shopping bag alone has resulted in us consuming about 2.86 billion bags every year. Once disposed of, bags find their way into the ocean, where they look deceivingly like seaweed and are gobbled up by marine life.
Beyond this, regardless of recyclability or reusability touted by industry, it is clear we need to start bringing our own bags or baskets to the store, plain and simple.
But old habits die hard, so in an effort to help us make better choices, a handful of towns across the country have put forward various proposals for banning single-use plastic shopping bags altogether, or imposing fees to discourage their use. The result? A modern-day David and Goliath battle.
Canadian Plastic Bag Association is lobbying the Supreme Court of BC to overturn City of Victoria’s upcoming July 1 plastic bag ban. If successful, Victoria will be the first city in BC to ban single-use plastic bags: a major feat.
The association claims Victoria has no authority under the Community Charter to prohibit businesses from providing plastic bags to their customers. It goes on to say the city also has no power to force businesses to charge a fee for a bag. What is CPBA’s motive? Sales.
A ban would significantly impact CPBA members who manufacture and supply bags for the market.
This is not the first time CPBA has used its clout. City of Toronto was set to impose a ban in 2012 when its city council reversed the order under pressure from CPBA. Other cities with active bans in Quebec are currently under fire to quash their bans.
While this David and Goliath story plays itself out, we are left to our own willpower to make the right choices. Take the challenge to stock up with reusable bags this week. No more excuses. Think of it as your slingshot move.
Let’s Talk Trash is Powell River Regional District’s waste-management education program.
