Dear editor:
When we hear the term single-use plastic, we tend to think of things like straws, plastic cutlery or shopping bags but it has become an unseen part of how we live. I urge you to look around and see how we can stop this.
Election signs are an easy way to start.
I’m not interested in discussing the need to advertise or promote. This is quite simply about the need to stop using single-use plastic when it isn’t necessary.
The vast majority of signs used in election campaigns today are made of coroplast or a similar product. It is lightweight, can be easily printed on, and is relatively cheap to purchase. Unfortunately, like too many of our contemporary products, it is also made of plastic and has a pre-determined life of at best six months (or three elections). More typically the sign is disposed of after just one election period of about two months.
This is single-use plastic.
I understand that these plastic election signs can be reused or recycled, but we need to get beyond that mindset. Even if something can potentially be reused or recycled that is no guarantee that it will be. The first "R" we need to embrace is Refuse.
We need to stop using plastic signs. There is no need.
Our federal government has even recognized the need to refuse single-use plastic by calling for a ban on them by as early as 2021 (classic non-determinate political talk).
We can do better.
I'm sure we can ask them to walk the walk and call for a ban on all plastic signage in this year's federal election.
So let's make this happen. No plastic signage in the 2019 federal election.
I want our community to be leaders in protecting our environment, not seen as reluctant followers.
Phil Dupasquier
North Vancouver
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