Flexing our Consumer Muscle

So this plastics challenge has given me a lot of food for thought.

My dad said, "so, it doesn't really make sense for us to take everything wrapped in plastic and put it in paper." I agree. So what's the solution?

I'd like the solution to be more sustainable sources for making paper. There are a lot of new fibres that people are making paper out of that are much faster growing, and easier to process into paper - like hemp and bamboo. There are also a lot of new ways of making biodegradable plastic bags and other plastics. Homegrown foods in Stony Plain has a plastic looking bag made out of corn. And it's not like there isn't a surplus of corn in North America. A lot of it grown not for food, but for ethanol. We have so much new scientific knowledge, that it's really silly that we're not applying a lot of this new technology to environmental conservation.

This is where we need to start flexing our consumer muscle. Taking the time to look at the things before we buy them. Looking for companies that are willing to go the extra mile to make the choices for packaging sustainable, and making sure the plastics and paper we do buy are recyclable and end up where they should. It's so easy to become complacent and cynical and approach it all with a good ol', "so and so isn't doing it, so why should I?" But we all know, that's now how to make change happen.