The question of paper or plastic at local grocery stores might get a lot simpler if Mayor Stephen Mandel and Coun. Linda Sloan follow through with an idea to eliminate excess waste in the city.
Sloan joined Mandel Wednesday in saying she'd like to explore ways to curb the use of plastic bags throughout the city, either by taxing or banning their use.
"I think environmentally the consciousness out there is growing," she said. "Everyone wants to do their part to help keep our earth healthy."
The proposal is part of a growing movement against the use of plastic bags. Many experts said the bags are harmful to the environment because they take about 400 years to disintegrate in a landfill.
A spokesman for the Alberta Conservation Team said any move to discourage people from choosing plastic would significantly reduce the amount of waste in local landfills.
"It's a really simple thing we can do using cloth or other bags and it's something that does have a really big impact," Cory Doll said.
Mandel echoed Sloan's comments Wednesday, saying he'd like to see more research into the best way to cut down on bag usage.
"It's a good idea, we just have to find a way to do it effectively," he said.
An acceptable way would be to give businesses a chance to eliminate the bags completely, Mandel said, not just taxing customers for their usage.
The mayor said he is in favour of residents using cloth bags.
It's not just individual communities that are pondering ways to cut back on plastic bag usage. Ikea Canada started charging five cents for each bag six months ago.
Company officials report their usage has dropped 90 per cent since the fee was implemented.
Other American cities like Seattle are also considering implementing a "green fee" on the shopping bags to encourage people to cut back.
Some Edmonton residents said they'd favour any environmentally-friendly decision.
"I try to bring the bags when ever I'm out shopping so I don't have to use the plastic," Sherry Bikow said. "You always see them blowing in the wind ... it's just garbage everywhere."
"Plastic bags are just going to keep piling up if we keep using them," Andrew Goodberry said.
Council said it will study its options before making a decision.
With files from Deborah Shiry