Paper or plastic? Why?

Question

Both have negative effects on the environment..which is better to use..in your opinion?

Answer 1

Given the choice between Paper and Plastic, use paper. You can actually reuse your paper bags to bag up your recycling. While you can use plastic bags, many companies processing recycling, throw them out as trash in the process.

If you were to add a third option it would be reusable bags made from recyclable materials. That way you wouldn't be making any trash for a long time (until you reusable bag is beyond repair).

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

I miss the paper bags from the grocery stores. They could hold more and would sit tall in the trunk of the car. I would use the paper bags to hold other paper recycling like junk mail and would use them to wrap parcels I had to put in the mail. I found that the paper bags would keep frozen foods frozen until you got home. I remember drawing on an opened paper bag as a child. I do reuse the plastic bags I get from the grocery stores but they quickly pile up and many tear very easily.

I prefer the paper since they break down faster than the plastic and can be reused in so many ways..

Answer 3

Plastic bags take 1000 years to degrade. Paper takes only one month. Given that most people do NOT buy canvas bags at the store to take groceries home, then paper is a much better bet.

Answer 4

Plastic...we reuse it as a garbage can lining especially for the wet and yucky stuff in the kitchen and in the bathroom...but we reuse it as a trash can lining in all the rooms in the house anyway and instead of picking up dog poop w/ the pre-cut stuff that you can buy, I just reuse the plastic bags from stores, just make sure it doesn't have holes...if it does, reuse the bag still as an added support for a heavier bag...we have a "used plastic bag" storage in the kitchen...it's very convenient...some suggest that we should bring our own grocery bag to the store, whether it's cloth, used plastic bag or whatever...the mentality can start from the grocery stores having their cashiers or employees ask people at the checkout counter if they have their own bag to put the groceries in so people will start thinking of bringing their own grocery bags...or incentives like if you bring your own bag, you get a coupon or discount for something next time they shop...

Answer 5

if you reue plastic its o.k. From a stictly environmental view, paper is better. If you have a compost heap you can even compost the paper because it degrades much faster than oil based plastic. Plastic is easier to carry more in. Hold 10 bags at once using handles.

Answer 6

Paper.

Answer 7

Some stores use biodegradable plastic bags, made out of corn starch or other plant material, which uses less energy to make than paper bags.

Answer 8

Paper of course...It's biodegradable much quicker than plastic. Wood (used to make paper)is a renewable resource, where as natural gas (used to make plastic) is not.

Answer 9

I prefer paper INSIDE of plastic however if you're talking what is more ecologically safe, then I'd have to say paper since it's biodegradable.

Answer 10

I would say whichever one you personally can reuse. I use the plastic bags for trash bags at home. You can also use paper bags for wrapping parcels that you mail.