Oh, wait, I still want to know about paper vs. plastic! There are also other things to consider... What if my use of cardboard, paper bagged items, etc are actually having a worse effect on the environment than if I just went with plastic as usual? What if this is all for NOTHING??
I'm finding information that says that paper bags/items actually can be worse for the environment!? Whaaaaat? So, let's break it down a little. The best source I found was here: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/07/paper-bags-or-plastic-bags-everything-you-need-to-know.php?page=5
So I geeked out and created my own spreadsheet, since the article's conclusion was inconclusive. I found that paper has a slight leaning towards better if you simply measure issue per issue. (Red=Bad, Green=Greener) Paper wins by a slight margin.
| Paper | Plastic | |
| Toxic Emissions to Produce | MORE | LESS |
| Transportation Cost/Fuel | MORE | LESS |
| Capacity per Bag | MORE | LESS |
| Energy to Create | MORE | LESS |
| Recycling Integrity | Good | "Downcycled" |
| Compostable | Yes | No |
| Base Composition | Trees - Renewable | Oil - Non-renewable |
But I still don't think I can stand behind deciding "paper" at the checkout as a recommendation. "I brought my own" is best! Even if you just bring back in the paper OR plastic bags you already have. (Why doesn't anyone consider THIS an option? Oh, yeah, then they can't sell you the canvas bag.)
Meanwhile, I'm buying in bulk as much as possible (which is quite a lot!) and re-using the bags I already have, both paper and plastic, until they're unusable. Surprisingly, despite the fact that plastic is made to last for thousands of years, the bags break, get holes and become useless rather quickly. I recycle everything I can once I feel I've used it to its fullest (until it's in shreds) and have been lining some plastic bags with worn down paper bags to prevent any possible "leaching" issues. I've been slowly replacing the "disposable" bulk bags with organic cotton bags- reusable, of course.
No comments:
Post a Comment