EDITORIAL
Word is that as of June 1, Barbadians will likely by paying a surcharge on plastic bags, as they shop at various retailers across the island.
While there has been somewhat of an outcry about the proposed twenty cents that consumers will likely be asked to pay, some persons seem to be missing the bigger picture. That twenty cents is to act as a deterrent, so that consumers will opt to bring their own reusable bags and therefore cut down on their dependence on the use of plastic bags, which are often casually discarded. The environmentalists suggest that the environment will benefit from this and indeed, this is a plus.
Now Barbados is not the first country to try to deter the use of plastic bags. Reports are that Bangladesh, Italy, China and South Africa have banned bags, while other countries had already charged levies to deter shoppers from taking them home. England of late has also joined a growing number of countries and regions seeking to curb the use of single-use plastic bags, blamed for littering oceans and causing environmental problems.
One report suggests that a requirement placed on consumers in the United Kingdom to pay five pence or the equivalent of seven US cents for a plastic shopping bag, have yielded almost a 90 per cent drop in their use. Reports suggest that the change in consumer behaviour was registered in results submitted by the UK’s seven main retailers. According to Bloomberg.com, they gave away 7.6 billion bags in 2014. When large shops were required to start charging in October 2015, only 500 million were sold in the next six months. Environment Minister Therese Coffey declared, “Taking six billion plastic bags out of circulation is fantastic news for all of us. It will mean our precious marine life is safer, our communities are cleaner and future generations won’t be saddled with mountains of plastic.”
Just last week, this publication reported that the owners and operators of Sheraton Mall will be embarking on a year-long campaign, which will see a number of “green initiatives” launched, to raise greater awareness about the need to better protect the environment. Apparently, the owners have embraced the June 1, deadline for the implementation of the surcharge on plastic bags and initiatives will also be embarked upon, to get consumers to commit to reducing single use plastics, such as plastic bottles and straws. The aim is to bring greater awareness about the need to protect our oceans and the marine life that dwells therein, namely sea turtles, that are injured or die after encounters with plastic and other garbage. Of course, overall, the greening initiatives are targeted at better protecting the environment.
An all-out war will also be waged on the use of Styrofoam food containers, and consumers will be encouraged to bring their own reusable cups and to opt for healthier, more eco-friendly food containers such as Vegware.
While there may be the initial drawback on the part of local consumers, hopefully they will come to see that they are making a step in the right direction by supporting this green initiatives, as our environment will be the better for it. So stop complaining consumers and get on board.