Archive for November, 2008:
Recycle Plastic Bags
There continues to be a lot of attention around the plastic bag and what it’s doing to our environment. This is a good thing, when there is noise being made on the issues of waste and preserving resources and protecting animals, good things happen.
So what’s the deal with plastic bags then? There are those that voice the banning of plastic shopping bags from food and other retail stores. But does that mean that produce bags and other plastic bags in retail stores should also be banned? If the problem is bags and resources, then where do we stop? If the problem is litter, then again, where is the line drawn as to what plastics are ok and which are banned? No easy answer.
From what I have seen, plastic shopping bags have become a focal point of debate due to their inherent nature of being a real burden on our environment. Plastic bags take flight and litter our land and water ways, they strangle wildlife, and never seem to disappear. Essentially, we are reminded every day of their presence due to our recklessness disposal of these bags. We see them everywhere.
At a recent waste conference, it was mentioned that for a local government body to ban the use of shopping bags is a difficult task. So, while this proposed ban continues to be tossed around, it is time for each household to take charge of the issues surrounding plastic bags and make a difference.
Cloth bags do work. They are re-usable, stack well and are readily available. Plastic bags are reusable and recyclable. It was stated that 44% of all plastic shopping bags are re-used in the home. If this is true, then the remaining 56% can easily be recycled.
If recycling is not available to you, then make some noise to those in charge of recycling programs in your area. Nanaimo provides bag recycling in their curbside program and the NRE accepts plastic bags for recycling. If recycling is not an option, then dispose of those bags in a responsible manner and ensure that they do not fly-free in the wind to pollute.