Single-use plastic bags. They end up as an eyesore on our streets, they harm wildlife, they fill our landfills, and worst of all they cannot be recycled in St. Albert. Over 25 countries have banned plastic bags entirely. In the United States there is a ban on plastic bags in many cities including Austin, Cambridge, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and most recently Boston. In Canada there is a full ban on plastic bags in seven communities including Fort McMurray and Montreal. It is time for a ban in St. Albert. Plastic bags are terrible for our environment. They harm wildlife and take a ridiculous amount of time to decompose, as long as 500 or even 1,000 years. Eventually they end up in the ocean where they impact over 250 different marine species. The worst part is that the average single-use plastic bag is used for only 12 minutes total. St. Albert has an opportunity to be a leader and make a difference for the environment. I encourage our city to ban the single-use plastic bags that are killing the world’s animals. Scott & Jill Tansowny, St. Albert
