Editor:
Re: Plastic bag ban does little to help the planet (Optimist, letters, Aug. 4)
It is certainly true that eliminating plastic bags will not save our planet. However it is equally true that every small action that reduces waste and prevents plastic from polluting our oceans and landfills is a positive one.
The new federal regulations actually say: “The Regulations prohibit the manufacture, import, sale and eventually export of six categories of single-use plastic (SUP) items. The categories of items are checkout bags, cutlery, foodservice ware made from or containing problematic plastics, ring carriers, stir sticks and straws.”
This goes far beyond just plastic bags. It is not a hardship to bring a cloth bag to the grocery store. On a wider scale, it is not a hardship to use our cars a little less. It is not a hardship to compost our waste to be used in gardens to grow natural food. It is not a hardship to adjust our choices to make them more harmonious to our struggling oceans and polluted atmosphere.
All these small choices, are not the answer either. However to not make them because they are not the sole answer, is clearly just an abdication of our responsibility to the planet and its future.
Graeme Swan
