We cannot seem to regulate ourselves when it comes to using plastics
Since it appears as a society we are not capable of recycling our plastic bags or our plastic straws, therefore once more we have the government that is more than willing to treat us like Luddites.
Grocery stores are now charging for plastic bags, not sure that will help as they still show up in the ditches etc.
The irony of it all is that when I buy meat that is packaged i.e. wrapped in plastic and on a Styrofoam tray, they put that in a plastic bag as well, then try to sell me another plastic bag to hold my groceries. Fortunately I bring my own bag.
The best one yet was I bought a turkey which is wrapped in plastic and frozen. I was offered a plastic bag for the turkey — free of charge. It was a heavy duty one, I could see that it could be reused so I took it. I was told it was a turkey bag specifically designed for Xmas shoppers. That was not the best option but at least reusable. The only problem was the handle ripped when I took it out of the car. You guessed it, I put it in my segregated plastic container box for transport to the depot, as apparently the company awarded the recycle contract does not want to take plastic bags or glass or Styrofoam etc. so I get to drive it to the depot.
To add insult to injury our local garbage pickup company (PAN Disposal) who does an excellent job, is being squeezed out by the CVRD who for some reason wants to destroy a small business that in my view is doing a good job for us in favour of another contract to some other company that will then add more costs, set up more regulations.
I must be missing something and I wonder where in the hell we are going. We refuse to manage ourselves and the government is only too willing to step in and legislate us for a slight additional cost of administration, thus adding to the burgeoning debt our government is already carrying. I am not overly religious, but God help us, as we cannot seem to help ourselves.
Glenn White
Shawnigan Lake