I see Mayor Miller quoted (in the National Post) as saying "It makes no sense to use oil, scarce oil, for something then throw it away" in reference to his (implied) tax on plastic bags. Uh excuse me Mr. Mayor but the primary use of oil products is for one time use, as fuel. Alternatively he should notice there is a glut of oil so extreme OPEC is cutting production, why does he consider it scarce? If he is consistent then he should plan to stop using oil products in their one time use of fuelling city buses. It's much healthier to walk and the pollution of those famously high polluting diesel buses is a major health hazard where the force of law should be more appropriately applied to protect people. Of course this ban will be a prelude to banning plastic bottles, with likely the same illogic applied.

A little less tongue in cheek I suggest Mayor Miller be honest in his motivations. This about making his government's job easier by making everyone else's life a little harder. This is one more item of the Green agenda of social engineering: imbedding in law alarmist ideas that cannot survive the reasonableness test of will people support it willingly. If he is really so worried about losing the fuel energy in oil then plastic bags will burn well in an incinerator, the best way to reduce the pollution problems of garbage anyway.