The result of a recent national survey makes it clear a growing number of Canadians are getting ready to shed the use of single-use plastics, believes Jade Janzen, of Lives with Less Plastics.

Of those responding to a recent Oceana Canada commissioned survey, 89 per cent want the Trudeau Government to fulfill its commitment to eliminate the use of these plastics by 2021. That's a climb of eight per cent from a similar poll conducted last year.

"I think it's great," says Janzen. "I think people are getting more involved and people are saying we want change, and we're going to push for change."

"If the public wants these plastics to be banned, and push for them to be banned, then the government's going to do something."

Abacus Data conducted its study from June 2-6.

Earlier this month, Oceana Canada launched a petition calling on the Canadian government to follow through on its commitment to ban unnecessary single-use plastics,  such as straws, bottles, cups, and other food packaging, by 2021. To date, more than 50,000 people have signed the petition.

Oceana Canada believes 22 million kgs of plastic leaks into the ocean every day, equivalent to one garbage truck per minute. They call it a threat to marine life and ecosystems.

Statistics show less than 10 per cent of the plastic discarded in Canada is recycled.

Also:

  • 47 per cent of the plastic waste generated comes from plastic packaging and single-use plastics.
  • Canada creates 3.3 million tonnes of plastic waste every year.
  • 29,000 tonnes of plastic leaks into Canada’s environment every year due to poorly managed plastic waste.

Just last week, Lives with Less Plastics held a cleanup in the Quarry commercial district. Fifteen people participated.

"It was disgusting how much garbage we fund found. We shouldn't be able to find six full bags of garbage in an hour and a half," she says.

The cleanup was filmed and will be included in a documentary on recycling in Alberta. Lives with Less Plastics will be a centerpiece in the documentary and discuss its formation, ambitions, and projects.

Lives With Less Plastic aims to educate people about their environmental footprints and help them reduce it for the betterment of the environment and to live a life with less plastic.

It sells reusable alternatives to disposable products to raise funds for future projects, including a business environmentally-friendly certification program.