Recently the city of Toronto announced they are looking into the possibility of implementing a tax on plastic bags or disposable coffee cups or in an even more extreme scenario, banning them altogether. Wide-eyed and innocent, I asked if that was truly necessary. Wouldn't it be better to offer incentives such as a discount at the till to consumers who use reusable bags or non-disposable cups?

Now that I've had time to think about it and read another perspective (which you can see for yourself after the jump), it seems that's a pretty naive proposition. Does it make sense to bring along your own bags to the supermarket or a stainless steel coffee mug every time you visit a local coffee shop? Of course it does, from an environmental perspective. However that is the key: from an environmental perspective. Who walks around thinking about these things? It's pretty safe to assume those who do are in the minority. If society did indeed indeed consistently think about their impact on the environment, the world would be a different place. People carrying a paper cup as they walked down the street would be glared at, whispered about and generally made to feel like the slums of society. Requesting a plastic bag at the grocery store would elicit boos and hisses from other customers in line and the cashier behind the counter.

But we don't really think about things from that perspective, do we? We are given a choice and more often than not, our choice is convenience over common sense. There's a certain hassle in remembering to bring your travel mug with you everywhere you go, so instead another paper cup and accompanying sleeve are usually just the simplest option available. A dramatic shift in thinking is necessary, and as cynical as it may sound, if we think significant change will come about on our own accord, we may be giving ourselves a little too much credit. Using a bit of force though, may be more effective. Though initial backlash from some may be inevitable, Pierre Sadik, a senior policy adviser for the David Suzuki Foundation believes consumers will adjust and even accept the idea.

...Mr. Sadik said the growing consumer backlash against the use of plastic bags shows that people are willing to make sacrifices in order to help the environment.

"These things change very quickly, I'd say almost overnight," he said. "Consumers become used to the new way of doing things very quickly."

If this sounds like a self-righteous sermon, make no mistake: I am certainly guilty of using paper cups and plastic bags when it's more convenient and when I've forgotten my "greener" gear at home. Maybe consumers would benefit from some forced action. The earth certainly would.

» Globe and Mail