editorial: victoria leads on bag ban

The city of Victoria is leading the charge for plastic shopping bags, but most people in the area don\'t seem to be in a hurry to ride.
As of July 1, plastic shopping bags will be banned, making Victoria the second major city to take action after Montellier.
Halifax is looking at the following suit.
Some smaller cities have also made this leap.
This new legislation, known as the checkout bag regulations bylaws, aims to reduce the number of bags in landfill sites, beaches and oceans, where they are gradually broken down into small pieces and eaten by marine life around the world.
Victoria residents use 17 million vehicles a year, the city said.
The rules and exceptions of the Victorian Charter show how common these packages are and how much we rely on them.
In some cases, these rules seem to be very strict.
The general rule is: \"Except as provided in this articles of association, no enterprise shall provide a checkout bag to the customer.
This is a comprehensive statement, but the articles of association then clarify: \"The business can provide the checkout bag to the customer only if :(a)
Ask the customer first if they need a bag; (b)
The bags provided are paper bags or reusable bags; and (c)
Not less (i)
15 cents per paper bag; and (ii)
$1 per reusable package.
\"Just in case the merchant or customer has questions, it also says the store can\'t sell you plastic bags and it can\'t give you a paper or reusable bag for free.
If you think the city is not serious, fines for individuals range from $50 to $500, and fines for companies range from $100 to $10,000 --
For every crime or every day it continues.
Yes, that\'s $10,000.
Of course, there is nothing simpler than what these rules imply.
There are many exceptions.
For loose bulk items such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains or sweets, plastic bags or small paper bags are allowed;
Nuts, bolts and other hardware;
Frozen food, meat, poultry, fish;
Baked goods that have not been packaged;
Flowers, potted plants; prepared foods;
Prescription drugs; live fish;
The protection of bedding, bedding or any large items that are not easy to put in reusable bags;
Newspapers or other printed materials left in the residence or business;
And clothing after professional cleaning.
While the city\'s intent is purely to save the environment, it seems to be to glue the municipal nose deeply into the business of retailers and consumers until the price of the bag is determined, by the way, it will rise again in next July.
Not surprisingly, the charter sparked a heated debate about the extent of plastic
Bag Problem and relative Green
Paper, plastic and reusable bags.
How many times do plastic bags be reused?
Is our beach really so messy?
According to the Canadian Plastics Industry Association\'s website, most shopping bags are reused and recycled, and other measures to reduce the number of plastic bags have also been successful.
But Mr Monterey, who is in charge of environmental issues, said only bags were recycled.
While Victoria is moving forward, other cities in the area have not yet joined in, so shoppers who like plastic can cross the border into sanić.
Or maybe Esquimalt, because Saanich is also considering a ban.