Editor:
Re: Plastic bag ban does little to help the planet (letters, Aug. 4)
While I do agree that we have a much larger problem on our hands than just plastic bags – Ms. Marshall is correct that so many of the things we use in our daily lives are plastic based – I also believe that the plastic bag ban serves a purpose.
The plastic bag ban is a start and a minor inconvenience. If you don’t like paying for paper bags, then bring reusable ones. As for having to purchase plastic bags for your garbage, that’s just nonsense. With the extensive recycling and composting policies in place in Delta, there isn’t much garbage that a paper bag can’t handle. I’ve been using mostly paper bags for garbage for years.
As for our continued reliance on oil-based materials, it really is up to us as consumers to demand more environmentally friendly products, such as appliances that can be repaired rather than replaced, and more recycling of components of large-scale items such as cars. Choose clothing made from renewable fibres that will last longer, food grown locally and in season (do we absolutely have to have tomatoes in February in plastic clamshells shipped halfway across the continent or grown locally in habitat-destroying and fuel-burning greenhouses?), toilet paper made from recycled paper, takeout in compostable containers, electric lawn equipment rather than gas-powered; the list of things we can do is infinite.
Recognize that our elected officials develop policies after consultation and consideration – not on a whim. Why don’t we help them out by educating ourselves on what should and should not go into recycling bins and encouraging more local policies that help the earth?
None of us is perfect, nor are we even consistent, but we all have to start somewhere.
Debra Probert
