When I drop off my daughter at gymnastics class, I usually go shopping at Nations. It’s right beside her gym. Last week, I picked up a few things and went to the cashier. As she was tallying up the items, she said “No more plastic bags. Just reusable.” Nations was the last holdout for plastic shopping bags. Five cents and fantastic quality.
I thought I would like reusable bags. As an environmentalist, I pushed for change. Something’s got to give when you find plastic bags in the ocean. Everything biodegradable, or at least reusable, and no more plastics.
Back at Nations, I couldn’t hide my disappointment. “But I depended on you for plastic bags.” I looked at the reusable bags with disgust. I relented and bought one. I have 100 more at home.
Reusable shopping bags are ending up in our landfills. People like me forget to bring them on grocery runs and just buy more. And most reusable shopping bags are made of Polypropylene, the second most widely used plastic on the planet. Not recyclable in Ontario.
Meanwhile, we’re still using plastic bags for our garbage and food composting. My friend John buys them at the dollar store. Five dollars for 10 bags. That’s 50 cents each bag or 10 times what they used to cost.
In the name of environmentalism, the big stores cut their costs and are making more money off of plastic bags they used to give out for free. And they charge at least $1 for reusable bags.
My neighbour doesn’t use plastic bags for food waste. He composts in his backyard. My aunt uses the very thin plastic bags used for veggies. Internationally, countries like Uruguay have banned plastic bags altogether and allow only compostable or biodegradable carryout bags.
Back home, I put away my groceries and realize some sticky sauce had spilled in my expensive reusable bag. I stuff it in a garbage bag, and right into the ocean.
