Paper or Plastic?

“Paper or Plastic mam”? I am asked. I smile and proudly say “paper”. I look annoyed at other shoppers who walk away carrying their groceries in plastic bags. Wondering to myself, is it too much to ask for paper? Don’t people read about global warming and the harmful effects of plastic on our environment?

While I was basking in my “green” moment for the day, little did I know that my choice of a paper bag wasn’t the best one either. I started reading up on paper vs. plastic bags and found that even though paper is a better alternative, it has it own set of environmental problems.

For example, according to the American Forest and Paper Association, it takes one gallon of water to produce one paper bag, equating to 50 times that of plastic bags! And since paper comes from trees – lots and lots of trees, it comes as no surprise that the entire journey of a paper bag from a tree to the grocery store is long and extracts a heavy toll on our planet. First the trees are felled using heavy machinery then converted to paper using chemicals and then finally transported to grocery stores across the world.

But one may argue that paper is biodegradable unlike plastic which is typically made from oil. Paper when thrown away, if lucky gets recycled or ends up in landfills. When in landfills it takes many years for it to break down into organic material. And when recycled it requires a chemical process to make it usable again. Plastic on the other hand, does not easily degrade and sits in landfills for centuries. And not to forget its harmful effects entering the food chain when animals accidentally ingest them.

So what’s the best alternative you ask? BYOB-bring your own bag! Try and use cloth or a canvas bag the next time you go grocery shopping. I personally use a cloth bag now and look smugly at shoppers who say “Paper and Plastic”!