Canada’s Role

With the plastic epidemic in full force, showing no signs of slowing down, it is important for us Canadians to recognize our role in plastic pollution, and to make a change. It is estimated that 3.3 million tons of plastic is thrown out yearly by Canadians, of which only 9% is recycled! These are huge amounts, especially considering that Canada is known for having plenty of large scale recycling programs. Unfortunately due to limitations in recycling facilities, and many Canadians lack of respect for our earth, recycling is not an adequate solution to the problem. Instead we must cut down on plastic at the source by finding ways to avoid plastic all together. To do so, we as individuals can look to eco-friendly alternatives to traditional plastic products like bamboo toothbrushes, bamboo safety razors and tooth powder.

What Are They Doing?

The Canadian government is finally noticing the huge impact that plastic has on our earth, and on April 15, 2021, announced that they would be giving $1.3 million total to 5 different projects all working towards reducing plastic waste. Here is each of the projects, a brief description of their goals and the amount of funding received:

Bluenose Coastal Action Fund

Amount Received: $100,000
Description: Based in Nova Scotia, the Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation is a not for profit organization working to restore, improve and conserve our environment. They will be using their funding from the Canadian government to research the impact that single use plastics have on the increase in microplastics in our environment.

Conference Board of Canada

Amount Received: $390,000
Description: The Conference Board of Canada is a not-for-profit organization that researches, analyzes and provides insights on economic trends and topics. They will be using their funding to aid in the research and development of the Canadian Governments plans to implement a circular plastics economy.

Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks

Amount Received: $250,000
Description: The Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is a sector of the Ontario government focussed on protecting the earth. They will be using their funding to improve composting operations and bioplastic standards.

Scout Environmental

Amount Received: $300,000
Description: Scout Environmental is a versatile not-for-profit organization that helps kickstart environmentally driven projects. They will be using their funding to connect industries and assist them in reducing plastic waste collectively.

Is This Enough?

While $1.3 million certainly sounds like a lot, compared to the Canadian Government's yearly spending of $265.8 billion, this amount pledged to combat plastic pollution seems quite miniscule. While it is nice to see the government begin to take steps towards sustainability, we must take matters into our own hands if we would like to see real change. We at Life UNpacked invite you to take your 1st step towards saving the earth today by introducing eco friendly product alternatives into your life. Successfully ending plastic pollution requires ending our dependence on plastic to begin with. Put down your harmful plastic toothbrush, and give a bamboo toothbrush a shot! Take your first step today and make your own contribution to saving the earth!

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