In November of this year, Canada's ban on single-use plastics was overturned by the Federal court. The original ban was described as "unreasonable and unconstitutional", and the decision voiced that all plastics cannot be listed as toxic.
Although this move will result in losses for the environment, I am not quick to deem this an overall failure. As a front-line retail worker with a regular retail company that sells reusable bags, I have personally seen a difference in peoples' shopping habits, namely as it pertains to bringing reusable shopping bags. It also did give some businesses the catalyst to start offering reusable or paper shopping bags, which they may very well continue even though the ban has been overturned.
And from the perspective of an everyday person, what the the ban did not seem to accomplish in its time was marked effort on the part of consumers as a whole to bring their own reusable straws, cups, and other utensils. The 10 cents off that a customer might get at a cafe is not enough financial incentive to carry around a reusable cup all day.
(It also didn't stop some independent shops from simply continuing to offer single-use plastic bags, or some big-box stores from offering cheaply-made "reusable" bags that broke by the time you got home.)
Rather, the primary motivation must be more intrinsic, which requires more of a mental and cultural shift.
As a child, one of the most rewarding things I did in school during the early 2000s was organize a SIGG reusable water bottle sale with the school's Green Club, supervised by our lovable librarian who I have so much to thank for.
I cringe a little now when I think back to my choice of words, but I remember spouting in our executive meeting how "we have to make going green hip!"
But "hip" it was.
The reusable bottles had a variety of creative designs printed on them, some more plain others more bold, but all objects of excitement and hope. And as reusable bottles have become the norm more and more for students and adults in the workplace, it has proved to be more than a trend.
And even though the water bottle movement is far from solving the world's environmental crisis, it is heartwarming to see what we accomplished even as children.
Partly because of this experience, I do believe the merging of art, environmentalism, and even play is more powerful than the sum of its parts. Without legislation and without financial incentive, a few hundred individuals -children, teachers, parents- set a standard for ourselves to live by.
And although this was not explicitly play, I do believe it also illustrates the power of making environmentalism fun. Whether it was children turning the fundraising campaign into a game, or teachers smirking over the "make love not landfill" staff-only edition, it is my hope and deep down my belief that most people who were involved look back on this as something that was both fun and meaningful to be a part of. Having positive volunteer experiences like this can also leave a deep imprint on a child and translate to a positive effects on wellbeing.
So now looking at where we are, facing the overturn of Canada's ban on single-use plastics, it may not necessarily be as much of the loss for the environment as it might feel.
We may be left without the legislation pushing the unwilling closer to the line of sustainability, but we still have the open minds of those who are willing if they are only given the chance, the event, the catalyst to start.
Photo added 2023-12-09