91原创

The world is awash in waste. Garbage is swelling in the oceans, plastics are clogging our waterways and killing wildlife, the poorest among us are living around grotesque聽mounds of plastic mountains, not to mention聽the聽microplastics raining down on us all.聽Even the world leaders have taken note that our throwaway society is not sustainable and are finally taking action.聽

鈥淲e are seeing convergence on eliminating the uses that are problematic and avoidable. We will continue to need plastic for specific uses, such as renewable energy technologies. But there is growing agreement that short-lived and single use聽can go,鈥�, as the fourth session of the global plastic treaty got underway in Ottawa. A fifth session in November in South Korea is supposed to negotiated an agreement to curb use of single-use plastic.

There is no place聽on the planet聽for short-lived single use聽paper bags either. While often seen as a friendlier聽alternative to single-use plastic bags because they聽decompose easily and can be recycled,聽they take a lot of energy to produce.聽. When the LCBO announced its decision to end paper bags, it said the move聽would save the equivalent of 188,000 trees each year and divert 2,665 tonnes of waste from landfills.

Rather than going back in time, Ford should get in step with the future. He could start by acknowledging Ontario produces the most waste in 91原创 and use his influence聽to encourage residents to change their relationship with items that are used once and discarded.聽

A big part of conquering our man-made environmental crisis involves a change in mindset. Motivating shoppers to use reusable bags聽is an important component. Getting to the headspace when we remember to bring a bag when we leave the house is a win as it will move society to the next level of living without the convenient single-use plastic packs.

It is true that eliminating single use bags will not solve the waste problem engulfing the lands and oceans. But bags are an important step, a symbol of the individual steps we all must take to help the planet. 聽

Changing our throwaway habits begins with the bag. Reusable shopping bags decrease the resources used in plastic bag production, disposal and they keep plastic pollution out of the environment.

That said, treating the reusable bags that replaced many grocery store plastic bags in the same disposable fashion as the contraband plastic bag 鈥斅犅犫�� is not a solution.聽

Like the return of the paper bag, it just creates a different version of the waste problem.聽We need one tote bag. Not a closet full of them. Find a favourite or two and make it a habit to carry around.

Changing habits requires repetition. Each time we forget a bag, the cost of purchasing a new one, reminds us of our misstep 鈥� and we gradually create new habits to adjust such as keeping our bags in a convenient place 鈥� like at the front door, in the bottom of a purse, in the car.

That鈥檚 why Ford鈥檚 reversal on paper bags to haul our booze purchases was short-sighted and counterproductive.

Getting rid of聽single use bags鈥� both paper and plastic 鈥� is among the items our throwaway society will have to dispense with in we hope to make progress healing the planet.

We have to get a handle on the amount of garbage we produce. We have to rethink our throwaway attitude.