It’s been a while that the discussion about banning the use of free plastic shopping bags have been circulating worldwide. Many places have attempted it, given up upon it or are trying it.
China have announced recently to ban the usage of free plastic bags starting on June 1st, 2008. China has finally decided to act upon saving the planet! Did you know that “Chinese people use up to 3 billion plastic bags a day and the country has to refine 5 million tonnes (37 million barrels) of crude oil every year to make plastics used for packaging, according to a report on the Web site of China Trade News (www.chinatradenews.com.cn)”? (Shipeng & Graham-Harrison, The Star)
In our home province Quebec, Huntingdon is the first town to ban plastic bags. Even their Publi-Sac (weekly flyer distribution) isn’t handed out in plastic bags anymore! The citizens have apparently accepted the new law imposed by the mayor quite well. “While stores can still sell products wrapped or bagged or boxed in all manner of wasteful plastic packaging, banning plastic bags is a start, the mayor says.” (Michelle Lalonde, The Gazette)
Now, the following question surfaces: is banning the use of plastic bags really efficient for saving the environment? Most people re-use their plastic shopping bags to contain garbain. Without them, what are we going to put our garbage in? Large garbage bags sold in stores are usually much thicker and even less biodegradable. Should research be done to invent a new way to dispose garbage? Here’s an interesting read: Does Banning Plastic Bags Help or Hurt?
So far, the use of cloth tote bags is much most widely encouraged. Plastic bags are never rarely recycled, and paper bags involve some tree-cutting. Some grocery stores have given out free cloth tote bags like Loblaws and IGA. Perhaps, soon in Quebec, we will have to pay for plastic bags too? But then, does that mean that those who are richer get to pollute the planet…?
The Loblaws reusable tote bag, now sold for $0.99 each.
(Credits to President’s Choice and CNW Group)
Amanda's shoeBox 