A Plastic Ocean

[Catherine]

Reusable bags are available everywhere in Toronto. I have dozens of them in different sizes  and colours. They are sold and given out in all big stores. They are sold as tourist souvenirs at all sites and events. I give them away and I still have plenty. Every event I attend gives me yet another free reusable bag.

I use reusable bags!

However many people will not use them. I work with seniors and they are hoarding the one use plastic bags because they are afraid they will be banned and they don't want to be without them. I opened a linen cupboard in a house once and found it stuffed with bags. (Sadly this is something I see a lot of) I see people shopping who have 2 bags of groceries, but they pay a nickel each for a dozen bags. They do this every time they shop. City council talked about banning plastic bags and people went into hoarding mode. I don't know how we are going to break this cycle of behavior.

Some of us faithfully carry the reusable bags and put our purchases in them, but we are not the majority yet.
I don't know how we can change this. Maybe we need a new campaign against the plastic bags. It is hard to get people to care about the oceans when they live inland and have never seen an ocean anyhow. It is hard to get them to care about anything.

So when it comes to one use plastic bags Toronto is an epic fail, in fact all of Canada is an epic fail.

The plastic bag hoarders wouldn't watch A Plastic Ocean anyhow.

Yes I am actually discouraged about his. Any suggestions for dealing with my plastic bag hoarding seniors would be welcome.