Peacock's environmental science class taught by Stephen Lys had a well-received presentation at council Monday that could have a lasting effect on the way you get groceries.

Lys and the students proposed that the city of Moose Jaw join other centres around North America in banning plastic bags.

Lys explained that they were able to collect 39,000 bags so far as of Monday and Lys believed that 100,000 by the end of the month was a foreseeable possibility. 

Coun. Dawn Luhning proposed a motion that administration prepare a report into looking at the implications of such a ban.

“I do believe it’s the right thing to do,” said Luhning of a bag ban. “I believe that as leaders sitting around this horn, maybe not everybody’s going to agree with me here, but these are the decisions that we should be making: hard decisions that not everybody’s going to like initially. But ... I don’t believe it’s going to be something where the majority of people say “Absolutely not, I have to have a plastic bag.”

Luhning said it was time to take action.

“I used to be a firm believer that this kind of stuff was voluntary,” she said. “But I do think that we have to be leaders and stop using the things that are hurting the environment.”

The presentation was well-received by council and Mayor Fraser Tolmie said he's supportive of the city looking seriously into the issue.

“I think really, what the real conversation piece is, is the habit,” Tolmie said. “I think that this is what’s the heart of the matter.”

A report will come back to executive committee at a later date.