Environmental Issues in Canada (Essay Sample)

Without a healthy environment, we cannot have a prosperous economy and society. Humans have been destroying the environment since the Industrial Revolution, and now wildlife and humans are paying the price. Scientists deduce that lifeforms will suffer increasingly in the coming generations without preemptive measures. In the wake of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Canada plans to take serious action on our climate emergency. By the end of 2022, the Canadian government plans to eliminate single-use plastics (such as plastic straws, bottles, and containers) across all facets of society. Various studies find that Canadians are better off without them as they pollute our biosphere. Accordingly, a complete ban on single-use plastics will accelerate economic activities in Canada, yield a positive impact on society, and create a plastic-free environment (Walker & Xanthos, 2018).

Acceleration in Economic Activities

If the government implements the correct measures, Canada will not have to sacrifice a strong economy for a healthy environment. A complete ban on single-use plastics will positively impact prices, increase the employment rate, and help the economy use tax money for more productive activities. Correspondingly, the prices of goods will decrease once they impose this ban. In many cases, the prices of different consumable items revolve around plastic packaging in which manufacturers invest a considerable amount of money, increasing the overall cost. Canadian consumers will be able to now purchase the same goods at lower prices that are chemical-free. Changing from plastic to paper packaging will yield annual savings of 18 to 30 dollars (Huang, Chen, Wang, Chen & Wang, 2020).

On another note, Canada will be able to reduce the unemployment rate if it starts banning single-use plastic items. Manufacturers of paper packaging materials currently have a low employment rate owing to limited sales. This ban will increase their appeal and help them attract employees to start producing environment-friendly packaging materials on a large scale in Canada. Moreover, the machinery required to make packages for items is easy to operate and acquire, making it possible for several unemployed individuals in Canada to look for jobs in these types of manufacturing entities (Kish, 2018).

Canadians produce more than three million tons of plastic waste per annum, recycling only nine percent. If the Canadian government bans single-use plastics conclusively, it can direct its financial resources toward more practical purposes. This initiative will reduce plastic waste and allow investments of tax money in various domains such as planting more trees, healthcare, and education about the proper use of natural resources in Canada (Thural, Shree & Singhal, 2022).

Benefits to Society

The intention of most items made from harmful plastics is only for one use. Namely, the plastic straws that humans use to sip a drink will linger in the environment forever. A complete ban on single-use plastics will positively impact humans and Canadian society, improve its rankings on the human health index, and enhance its overall image. Accordingly, the chemicals from the production process create air pollution, which is harmful to the health of humans and other living things. As a result of its constant usage, the environment endures significant exposure to toxic chemicals resulting in ambient pollution (Godswill, A. C., & Godspel, A. C., 2019).

Furthermore, Canada will profit from the positive long-term benefits of banning single-use plastic items as it can subside the effects of contaminated water and edible items. Canada will provide a healthier living environment and improve its rankings on the human health index, reducing the overall rate of hormonal imbalances and reproductive problems plastic packaging causes, such as infertility and cancer (Walker, McGuinty, Charlebois & Music, 2021). This ban will therefore save the precious lives of millions of Canadians.

Replacing single use plastics with paper will provide an alternative product packaging solution. This project will improve the overall image of Canada as a tourist-friendly country with a strong economy and environment (Dey, et. al., 2021). As a result, Canada will be able to attract a humongous ratio of tourists and foreign visitors.

Benefits to the Environment

Environmental pollution is turning into an incurable disease for wildlife. Canada implementing a complete ban on single-use plastics will have a significant positive impact on ecosystems, victuals, and lifeforms. These items are not biodegradable and pollute oceans, rivers, farmlands, cities, and neighborhoods. This accumulation can be life-threatening for Canadian aquatic animals and flora and fauna. A complete ban on these items will create a healthier living environment for biota existing in Canada. Annually, the global death of thousands of seabirds, sea turtles, seals, and other marine animals is because plastics linger in rivers, lakes, and oceans (Godswill & Godspel, 2019).

Plastics take over 450 years to decompose, whereas paper only takes two to six weeks. Paper packaging can replace the financial resources that Canada invests in managing and disposing of single-use plastics. Chemicals found in such items (such as phthalates, bisphenol A, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers) contaminate the environment and wildlife directly and indirectly (Godswill, A. C., & Godspel, A. C., 2019). Conversely, paper packaging is advantageous as an alternative since it does not contain any toxic or poisonous contents (Way-Nee, 2019).

The decision to completely ban single-use plastic items will sustain the health of Canadians by helping ecosystems thrive and showcase their natural beauty as it supports life forms. Canada will witness the benefits of its choice in the form of a healthy ecosystem free from chemical toxins with rich soil and robust inhabitants who consume clean air, eat healthy and nutritious food, and drink uncontaminated water (Wu & Dunn, 1995).

Conclusion

In summary, the environmental, economic, and human impacts of switching from single-use plastics to paper packaging demonstrate that they are necessary to ban. While advocates claim that banning single-use plastics may hurt Canada's economy, they ignore the long-term effects on the population of Canada and the ecosystem. Nevertheless, a complete ban will have a tremendous impact on Canadian society, the economy, and the environment. Supporting the use of paper-based packaging items will raise the employment rate in Canada and support the existence of wildlife (Sharma & Chatterjee, 2017). As a result, it will accelerate the development of innovative entrepreneurial ventures that focus on sustainable packaging.

In financial terms, investing in paper packaging is feasible for humans and advantageous to the Canadian economy. The Canadian government invests in financial resources to handle the single-use plastic waste. However, some of them, unfortunately, enter the water. Nevertheless, if the Canadian government supports paper packaging, it can save millions of dollars for other productive activities to support the Canadian economy (Villarin & Cuaresma, 2020). It is not only a matter of concern for Canadians but for all humans since plastic is killing the oceans and contaminating their victuals. If there is an obvious and effective solution, why does society produce waste that nature cannot digest?