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<title>blogTO Recent Comments: Toronto's Dependency On Plastic</title>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/feed/recentcomments/?8270</link>
<description>Comments recently made in this post on blogTO</description>
<copyright>Copyright 2009</copyright>
<lastBuildDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:23:40 PST</lastBuildDate>
<item>
<title>Lily</title>
<description><![CDATA[
living in Quebec has gotten worse for taxs. I spend aprox 200.00$ on food a week. I get charged on the bags I use. I dont have a car. (I dont polute by using gas)I use a bike to transport my goods. now, I am forced to use a car because the stores give me boxs to use. (try biking with a box of food)There never is place to lock up my bike (and they say they are doing it for the environment?)They charge people for bags, then tax it...makes me wonder if it's not a conspiracy that the gouvernment put in place for more suckers like us.why else would the bring up this subject now and not years ago? why do they charge when the could easly replace with boidegratable? its all about MONEY, MONEY...MONEY!!!]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c263988</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c263988</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 19 Feb 2008 14:16:14 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Michael</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Even in the absence of legislation, the supermarkets are becoming more responsive to calls to reduce plastic bag consumption. Dominion has bins for recycling them. Loblaws announced plans to eliminate plastic bags from their stores, and have been piloting this in some locations; it will be interesting to see whether it is successful. Yes, it is in the stores' interest because it gives them positive publicity, and reduces their costs, but why not, if it reduces waste. The plastic bags are not that suited to re-using anyway - they are very thin, and prone to developing holes in them at inopportune times.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c263385</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c263385</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Sun, 17 Feb 2008 15:51:37 PST</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>Sarah McGaughey</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Hmmm I think my quote has been taken out of context and used for evil. I think we should ban plastic bags and I think it is possible for a society to be trash free- look at Germany. What I was saying is that North American society isn't set up for it, so right now it's better to reduce as much as possible (which includes going without plastic bags- that's easy) rather than making Zero trash. Hopefully in the near future we will have less packaging so that it is more possible for consumers to choose to be trash free.  I think banning bags is a good step toward that. In the quote, I was referring specifically to avoiding really good products or companies because of small bits of garbage and instead buying from pretty horrible companies because the packaging can be recycled. For example Harmony Organics  has milk in glass bottles and during our hard core garbage free month we avoided them because of a little plastic tab.  It doesn't make sense. It makes more sense to look at the whole picture. Harmony is very good to the environment (and cows) , and the glass milk bottle system is awesome, so in cases like that it's better to have a little garbage.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c253421</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c253421</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jan 2008 09:00:49 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>rek</title>
<description><![CDATA[
AH - Are you aware of what the first two R's in the old "3 R's of Recycling" stand for? Reduce and Reuse. I don't use an old cloth bag (there's one!) instead of loading up on plastic (there's the other!) to make a fashion statement or declare my hipness or whatever other b.s. you can dream up.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252671</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252671</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:00:45 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Steve</title>
<description><![CDATA[
AH, I would never prove a point of yours.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252650</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252650</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:31:23 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>AH</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Thanks for proving my point, Steve.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252609</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252609</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jan 2008 11:34:04 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Steve</title>
<description><![CDATA[
"Rek's smug question gets to the bottom of the plastic bag non-issue...[...]They're a sort of positional good, a way to distinguish yourself from the burger-eating, SUV-driving scum."
 - AH, you are so right. These smug enviro-nazis want to ruin all of our fun, and for what, trying to make the planet a little more cleaner and livable for everyone. Punks! See, guys like you and me, we get it...I wanna eat fast food and shit and piss out styro-foam, I wanna drive my Escalade on a 90 degree day with my windows rolled up and my A/C on full blast with a 64oz. Mountain Dew and a Big Mac on my dash...that's how we roll.  I see you commie-punks, riding your bikes to work, acting all high and mighty, like you're making a difference...Not me baby, this planet is here for MY CONVENIENCE and I intend to take full advantage of it...let my kids and grandkids fend for themselves. You smug bastards trying to help the environment...it don't need no help. Plastic is all natural...fish, birds and animals love the stuff. And if they don't, well then, that's just fricken tough, thin out the herd. Man, I am so juiced right now!!! I swear to God the next backpack I see I am gonna go medieval!!!YEAH!!!]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252569</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252569</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:20:15 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chester Pape</title>
<description><![CDATA[
If you really want to understand the difficulties of trying to live trash free read this blog:
http://nomoregarbage.wordpress.com/about/
After several attempts over a couple years they finally were able to achieve 31 days of no garbage production.
One telling quote:
"We found being completely garbage free in todays society wasn?t always the best choice ecologically" 
]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252470</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252470</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jan 2008 18:12:11 PST</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>blik</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Sorry, I should have clarified that many itmes made out of those materials CAN be recycled (cans, bottles, etc), but not all. For example The City of Toronto will not accept lightbulbs, aluminim foil, styrofoam, polystyrene, plastic bags (!), chip bags, etc.

I don't see how it's possible to live in the modern world without using the aforementioned materials and having no other choice but to throw them away.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252439</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252439</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:57:14 PST</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>blik</title>
<description><![CDATA[
"Everything can be recycled and/or composted"

According to the City of Toronto plastic, aluminum, glass, metal and fibres cannot be recycled. Nor can they be composted or flushed down the toilet (except for kleenex and toilet paper)]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252435</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252435</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:52:27 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>AH</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Jonathan, it's not that we can't ban plastic bags, it's that to do so would be impractical and would have little actual effect on the environment.

As far as being "ignorant litter whores" who can't think ahead, well, that's an interesting way of putting it. Doesn't it bother anyone that the amount of waste a person generates is suddenly a pressing political issue, and a determinant of their moral correctness?

 ]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252421</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252421</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:30:07 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Chester Pape</title>
<description><![CDATA[
"As the technology improves, I wouldn't be surprised to see the corn based plastics growing on store shelves.

Yes, corn is an industry with high levels of pollution. Nitrate fertilizers, the lack of bio diversity, etc, etc. But as a society we adapt to changes in our environment. For years and years and years we talked about alternative fuels, but nothing was ever done about it. Only recently, as gas prices raised to record highs have people looked into (almost) alternatives, such as hybrid technology."

Sorry to rant on here but this entire line of logic is popular, and dangerous. "Technology will save us" which you will observe is the Plan B approach for the global warming denial crowd. Einstein's axiom that the same thinking that created a problem cannot be used to solve it. 

I'm not anti-technology but one has to work to assure that technology is used as an enabler to changing the way we do things, not as an end unto itself. You've cited the perfect example, Hybrid drive cars, which really weren't possible much before they started to become available because they are dependent on fairly recent advancements in battery technology and reliable embedded electronics. Hybrid technology has some benefits where it is used to improve the mechnical efficieny of a car, but that's not the way it's mostly being used, with few exceptions most of the hybrids on the road the technology is being used to BOOST THE HORSEPOWER not improve the milage, or rather just improve the milage enough that the manufacturers can show fleet wide incremental efficiency gains. 

Bio bags are a solution in search of a problem, being foisted on well meaning but naive public by the most evil conglomerate since big tobacco, the US corn lobby, they don't change the carbon density of the product, they replace pollution problems with other pollution problems and they don't actually save any oil, since just as much oil gets used to grow the corn in the first place. As has been pointed out, 4G thin film plastic bags, used once or twice then converted to a trash container and landfilled are really not that bad. Pollution Probe fought a hard fight to keep paper sacks and first generation biobags out of the stores 20 years ago, too bad they aren't on the file now.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252415</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252415</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:22:11 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Gregg</title>
<description><![CDATA[
You shouldn't have ANY trash.  Everything can be recycled and/or composted. If not, you can always flush it down the toilet.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252411</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252411</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:18:02 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Jonathan</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I agree with the well thought out arguments against this proposal. We can't ban plastic bags because it's impossible. It's impossible because it just doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense, because we can't do it....  because! Because we're ignorant litter whores who just can't think more than three seconds in front of our faces.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252410</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252410</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:17:25 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>Derek</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I reuse my shopping bags as garbage bags. For people who don't take supermarket bags, I am curious, how do u line your garbage bin, how do u throw out your trash? ]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252402</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252402</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:34:47 PST</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>Curious</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I had heard that the new Real Canadian Superstore in Milton or somewhere was going bagless. Does anyone know if this is true? being a carless downtown-guy it is a bit difficult to go all the way to Milton for groceries, but I wonder.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252401</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252401</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:21:25 PST</pubDate>
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<item>
<title>beth maher</title>
<description><![CDATA[
I don't count carbon emissions. I find the idea of doing it ridiculous. I am actually the least environmentally minded person ever. If it's hard and I have to go out of my way to do it, I probably won't do it. 
I'm lazy. 
That being said, it was just a year ago when my university class did that "carbon footprint" test that's floating around and I was found to have the lowest footprint of my entire class. 
Why? I cook my own food from scratch (or relative scratch) most of the time, simply because it's cheaper and tastes better. I work from home. I don't drive (my boyfriend does). I take public transportation, or walk whenever unnecessary, just because I like it and it's good for me, and I hadn't been on a plane in 2 years because I was too gosh-darn poor for plane tickets. The little things do matter, and it's actually incredibly easy to change things. 
And for the record, I use re-usable shopping bags not because I'm smug about my environmental record, but because they're stronger and hold more stuff (3 of them hold the same as about 6 or 7 plastic ones), and my little under-sink cupboard was becoming overwhelmingly stuffed with the plastic ones and it was getting on my nerves. They make my life easier, the environmental payoff was just an added bonus. ]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252400</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252400</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:11:52 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>AH</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Rek's smug question gets to the bottom of the plastic bag non-issue. Floating plastic bags are highly visible, often photographed by sensitive art students, etc., and similarly, cloth bags are also a highly obvious way of demonstrating one's environmentalist values. They're a sort of positional good, a way to distinguish yourself from the burger-eating, SUV-driving scum.

I have no interest in carrying a cloth bag on me at all times. When I do buy groceries it is usually six or seven bags, and I simply can't be bothered to go to the trouble of carting cloth bags around to make a fraction of a tiny difference on my environmental impact.]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252393</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252393</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:23:46 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>rek</title>
<description><![CDATA[
There's just no need for most plastic bags. I carry an old cloth bag with me whenever I have my backpack or plan on going to the grocery store -- why can't you?]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252390</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252390</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:13:27 PST</pubDate>
</item>
<item>
<title>AH</title>
<description><![CDATA[
Beth, the problem with this "counting carbon" approach, aside from how impractical it is for day-to-day life, is that the difference between using plastic bags or cloth bags is ultimately not significant in the big picture. Instead of badgering the public about their eco-sins, environmentalists would be better off pressing for supply-side innovations. As far as I'm concerned, Ontarians already do enough to help the environment-- it's time for engineers, corporations, etc. to step up. ]]>
</description>
<link>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252388</link>
<guid>http://www.blogto.com/environment/2008/01/torontos_dependency_on_plastic/#c252388</guid>
<category>Toronto, Environment</category>
<pubDate>Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:02:40 PST</pubDate>
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