Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is planning to remove the $0.05 charge for plastic bags beginning July 1 2012, with the motion to be discussed at council in June. This will remove the incentive for people to bring reusable shopping bags and avoid the use of plastic bags.
While the money collected should be directed towards environmental iniatives in the city, particularly protecting and expanding Toronto's tree cover, removing the charge will not solve this issue! It will only encourage the use of more plastic bags, with huge environmental consequences both locally through their disposal and globally through the continued use of petroleum products.
Help send a message to Toronto City Council and Mayor Rob Ford that the city should be doing their part to eliminate plastic bags, NOT eliminating incentives for reusable, sustainable alternatives! Tell them- do not remove the $0.05 charge for plastic bags!
