The City of Winnipeg doesn’t think it’s equipped to deal with a ban on plastic bags. Fair enough, this is still an emerging issue around the world, and the plastic alternatives — like cornstarch-based bags — still need further development (apparently they fall apart under humid conditions).
For now, the threat of a possible future ban is a good bargaining chip to get retailers on board with bag recycling programs.
However, rather than spending $15,000 to advertise bag recycling (as the civic administration recommends), I suggest the City do something a little bigger and potentially more effective to promote the cause.
I’m sure you’ve all seen the new wave of “green” shopping bags being sold or given away by all sorts of retailers. The best-known example might be the Superstore’s 99-cent PC Green Bag . These bags are made of cloth and/or recycled materials, hold 2-4 times as much as a standard grocery bag, and can be used dozens and dozens of times.
At a unit cost of 25 to 50 cents a piece, it would take $65,000 to $130,000 to provide a bag to every household in the city. Now that’s obviously a lot of money to cover what some would argue is a personal responsibility, but this campaign — unlike the City’s plan to attract sponsors for every snow plow and garbage can it owns — seems tailor-made for a corporate partner.
The City could use its $15,000 to cover distribution costs, and get an eco-minded partner to pick up the tab for the bags (which would have appropriate sponsor branding). And if even a modest number of families made regular use of their new green totes it would significantly reduce the number of plastic bags headed to the landfill.
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Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: City of Winnipeg, ecobags, plastic bag ban
One of the simplest ways to have a positive environmental impact is to use reusable grocery bags.
http://www.CoolGroceryBags.com
That is a most excellent idea!
In Ontario, where we had bagged milk, they would brand milk jugs and give them away for free in big campaigns as well. It worked quite well.
At the superstore, you get 5 PC points for every reusable bag you bring in and fill with food.
Instead of using bags I use the green bins to grocery shop. They are easier to pack than the bags and easier to get in and out of the car for those big shops. You’ll find them at Supervalue, and their shopping carts hold them perfectly too. Instead of lugging 20 half filled plastic bags into the house, I carry three green bins. So much simpler.
just one question, i’m all for reducing the use of plastic but the one reason i don’t is because i need something to line my trashcans with! How do you guys handle that?