Paper or Plastic

When you go to the grocery store, you will invariably be asked this question… Paper or Plastic? Which should you choose? Of course, we are going to operate on the perception that you do not have your reusable bags with you or that you don’t have enough of the reusable bags.

There are obvious comparisons that can be pointed out. For instance, you can put more items in a paper bag but you can carry more plastic bags at one time. We are not going to focus on those comparisons. We are going to look at the comparisons in regards to the environmental impact of each bag for you to make your own educated decision.

First, we want to look at plastic bags. Plastic bags account for 10,000 tons of landfill space in the United States. It takes 1,000 years to naturally degrade. Less than 1% of plastic bags used are actually recycled in the United States and are blamed for the annual death of more than 1 million birds and 100,000 marine animals.

Paper bags are not environmentally efficient either. Paper bags take four times more energy to produce than plastic. In the landfill, paper bags take up nine times more space than a plastic bag. Paper bags generate 70% more air pollution and 50 times more water pollutants than plastic bags*.

Now, it is easier to recycle paper bags than plastic, because most roadside recycling allows for recycling of paper bags, but not plastic. In order to recycle plastic bags, you must find a recycling center in your area. Most grocery stores have bins for plastic bag recycling, so if you do choose plastic, you can always return them there.

Remember, the most environmentally friendly bag out there would be a reusable bag that is sold at most grocery stores, but if you’re in a crunch, make the right choice when you’re asked “Paper or Plastic?”

*information gathered from www.natural-environment.com