Paper or Plastic?

Fun reusable shopping bags from Baggu

          It’s no question that shopping bags are a part of daily routine. At this very moment you probably have a stash of grocery bags stuffed under the kitchen sink, in the car door, the pantry, or a secluded corner of the garage (I know I do). The US alone consumes about 10 million paper shopping bags a year, and nearly 1 trillion plastic bags are used each year worldwide. However, our shopping bag habit is costly. Paper bag production depletes forests, uses harmful chemicals and emits greenhouse gasses. Plastic bags are made from the non-renewable resource crude oil, and a single plastic bag takes about 400 years to decompose. Despite their prevalence disposable shopping bags present an environmental dilemma regarding production and recycling.    

            Though recyclable, plastic shopping bags cannot be deposited in curbside recycling bins since they can clog recycling machinery, damage equipment and interfere with the sorting process. However most grocery stores offer plastic bag recycling bins, and plastic bags can be taken directly to some recycling facilities such as the ACC solid waste department.

            An alternative to plastic bags is to request paper bags, which can be recycled with the rest of your paper products. Contrary to popular belief, paper bags are actually no more environmentally friendly than plastic. In fact, even more energy is required in the recycling and transport of paper bags than that of plastic.

         Here lies the problem: paper or plastic?  Instead of regular shopping bags, stock up on reusable bags. On average, the lifespan of a reusable grocery bag is equal to more than seven hundred plastic bags, and by just one person switching over to reusable grocery sacs, over 22,000 plastic bags would be saved. Most grocery stores provide well-priced reusable bags, and online stores sell all types of designs and colors. You can also get crafty and try sewing your own out of an old t-shirt. Substituting reusable bags for their paper or plastic counterparts cuts down on waste as well as the amount of energy used in production and recycling.   

          


-- Claire Ruhlin, Community Intern