Youth Talk

I find it quite encouraging to see just how many people agree that plastic bags for groceries and other purchases should be paid for so as to quash what I think is quite unnecessary plastic consumption. 

Even a small price to pay will definitely lead people into thinking whether they really need a plastic bag.

This point was underlined in California in three communities where when provided for free, up to 75 per cent of people chose to use plastic bags. A small charge of 10 cents however, made many reconsider as that percentage dropped to only 16 per cent.

While a trend like this might not be repeated in its full intensity here on the island, a policy like this, I believe, will surely not end in vain.

Plastic equals convenience; it is readily available, offered everywhere. By making people pay a price, it forces them think of the (mostly) cost free alternative.

Sure, you might be able to find other uses for those plastic bags but there’s no denying that they will eventually find their way into a landfill and contribute to the ever-increasing, now becoming worldwide problem of plastic pollution.

And, yes, some establishments here have taken their own steps towards greener living by providing plastic bags that are either partially or completely biodegradable, but switching them out for indefinitely reusable cloth bags is a much better alternative for the environment.

Remember the ozone hole? Well, it seems that thanks to initiatives taken to curb CFC production the ozone hole is predicted to be healed by 2050, so there is reason to remain hopeful when it comes to quelling the issues related to plastic pollution.