Is it better for the environment to choose paper or plastic bags at the grocery store, and why?
Answer:
Actually, if you are concerned about the effects of paper and plastic bags on our environment, you should use neither.
Plastic bags are made of petroleum products, which are being depleted at an alarming rate. They pose a lethal hazard to wildlife. Even if people reuse them as garbage can liners and such, are those bags worth the hundreds of years that it takes for a bag to decompose in a landfill?
The production of paper bags uses a lot of energy and requires chemicals that are dangerous to the environment.
Reusable bags are more friendly to the environment, don't burst under heavier weights like paper and plastic do, and have longer straps that fit over the shoulder nicely so that you have your hands free to do other things.
They are also durable and can be washed and used for several years. Today, they are even a fashion statement. Businesses like Eco Chic Totes from Kayecee and Company(http://www.priintfection.com/totes)... are offering canvas totes that are very stylish. A lot of people already have tote bags around the house that they could use for shopping. Or you can find them very inexpensively at garage sales and such. When I first started using canvas, several friends gave me their unwanted totes. and a few converted with me. :)
Paper degrades faster and cheaper.
Actually, a reuseable canvas bag works best
paper...because we can't recycle plastic bags.
this is a good question and I'd be interested to find out. I know that San Fransisco is implementing a ban on plastic in favor of paper, but I'd like to see the research. Don't forget that even better than recycling is reusing, when they are so worn out that you can't re-use them, then you recycle them.
On a related subject, Im gonna carry my own hemp bag to the store with me. Then I'll use it every time.
If you were going to recycle - paper. For the reason the first guy stated. In general though - places are trying to have you bring your own cloth bags that you continually reuse now.
Environmentally both are neck and neck.
The real solution is to bring your own re-usable canvas bags.
Paper. Trees can grown back, even if it does take a while. Plus they're biodegradable and easier to recycle. But plastic is made by using oil. Oil can't be replenished.
What's even better is if you don't use any bags at all, or if you bring your own.
Paper is more biodegradable...and my cats LOVE playing in them. Plastic isn't biodegradable...but if you're recycling both, then I would think you're safe with either choice
paper - the process to make paper bags is less harmful to the environment and not all plastic bags are recyclable.
If you do decide to use disposable bags then paper is my preference. Paper can be recycled and/or thrown out and decomposes faster than that of it plastic counterpart. Though what I find that works best for me are canvas grocery bags.
paper bags are better because it can be recycled and plastic can but if you really care about the environment bring your own bag from home when you go shopping to use that as a place to hold the things you buy
I always get both, the paper inside. Then I know that what I bought is not going to rip through some crappy bag and smash in the supermarket parking lot (especially if it is raining). I also know I can re-use the combo at home as a drip proof garbage bag. Otherwise I would have to buy some other strong plastic bag to put trash in for disposal.
Around here if paper or plastic has food drippings or grease on them the recyclers will not take them. And let's face it that food crud is going to go somewhere no matter how many other things you recycle.
paper
Paper. It decomposes faster, and plastic bags aren't biodegradable. What I do, though, is bring a canvas bag or two to carry my groceries in. That way, I can reuse them every time I go. It's much better for the environment.
I'm not really sure if there's much in it. Clearly the best way to recycle is to re-use. Felling a Tree or using other fuels to produce plastics both have their effect on the environment, but, with biodegradable plastics and the new technologies in plastic engineering the 'Plastic option' has become far more viable as an 'ecological' product.
Hope this helps!
Take care C.J.
Obviously the best is to bring your own reuseable bag from home. I always bring a big tote bag, Big Blue Bag from Ikea, and smaller canvas bag whenever I go to the grocery store.
If for some reason you have an aversion to this, paper is probably the better environmental choice. Paper bags can be recycled, though it takes more energy to produce them than plastic bags, and trees have to be cut down to make them.
Plastic grocery-type bags cannot be recycled. They can be reused for various applications, but if you put them in your regular recycle bin they will get thrown out. California just instituted a law that all stores have to have plastic bag recycle (reuse) bins.
If you know of a place where they have specific bins for these plastic bags, then that's probably a better choice than paper. Otherwise get paper bags, unless you can bring your own reuseable bags from home.
Hi,
Whether you know it or now, you asked a trick question. The truth is, you can't really recycle the plastic bags you get at grocery stores.
Why? Because the bags are made from petroleum products, they're non-recyclable and non-biodegradable. Well, mostly, anyway. Some grocery stores do collect these bags and recycle them though alternate means. However, this is a very small percentage of the total number of plastic bags produced. According to the Christian Science Monitor, "less than 1 percent of 100 billion plastic bags tossed each year get recycled."
In an Ask Yahoo! column I wrote earlier this year, I found that "the typical plastic grocery bag takes anywhere from 450 to 1,000 years to break down." The best solution is to bring your own bags.
Thanks!
Mike
Paper because it's biodegradable,if you decide not to re-cycle. If you do re-cycle. paper is more re-Cycle friendly. it does not give off as toxins .when being re-cycled.
Please! Invest in some canvas totes to eliminate the need to use either. Plastic takes forever to decompose and anyone out there that thinks all the plastic bags that get 'recycled' to good use is kidding themselves.
Paper degrades faster, but how many retail stores even have that option; plus the fact that chosing paper means the loss of more trees.
I have canvas totes that I keep in the car; they are strong, washable, and will last me a lonnnnnnnnngggggggg time even with everyday use. You can pick these up really cheapl at flea markets, garage sales, dollar stores. Or you can order eco-made fiber ones on line.
The best thing to do is use a bag of your own. I use bags called Chico bags...They hold 20 pounds of groceries and fold up into a small pouch. Check them out here:
http://www.chicobag.com/
Kim at: http://www.peaceful-organic-planet.com...
paper they rot
Paper because the recycle process is cleaner than plastic. Just keep taking your paper bags back to reuse them at the store or use your own and get credit and you'll not have to make that decision each time.
I am no expert, but paper DOES biodegrade, while plastic bags can take up to 1,000 years (yes one thousand) to break down completely.
I bought some GREAT bags to take to the market with me from this website:
http://www.reusablebags.com/store/acme-b...
These ACME bags are great. Watch the video of how he folds them back into their own pocket. It REALLY is that easy!
I discovered them from a green site called idealbite.com. If you are concerned about the environment, you may love their daily tips sent to your email!
If you recycle them both, it doesn't matter. But I think that paper is still better, because recycling a plastic bag means that somebody else will use it. There are still people who don't care about recycling, so you don't know if the person who gets your old bag will recycle or reuse it. Paper decomposes and you don't have anything to worry about.
Its better to choose paper because it recycles faster then plastic. Plastic takes a super long time to decompose while paper only takes a little while.
Tell me ! How can U shop or how can retailers sale their mechandize without it ?
paper its easily recycled
p.s. its good that u recycle
We are so behind on this issue. Paper and plastic bags are not the answer. I've batted this question back and forth. Grocery stores are even confused as which is better. Cut down trees or plug up landfills? People overseas have it right. They bring their own bags - all the time. If we weren't so lazy here in the US, that's what I'd recommend. Bring your own - cloth or recycled bags.
Always paper ;) I have used totes before and they seem to work great, but they rip after a short time for me. The many reasons are listed above, and i highly agree with the "paper use"!
I seen a duck the other day with a plastic bag around it's neck walking with the other ducks. My roomate and i stopped caught the duck and took that plastic off. I was not amused how many people laughed at that situation!!!
PAPER! :)
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