Paper or plastic? The environmental deception behind bag bans

[rangerrebew]

 
Paper or plastic? The environmental deception behind bag bans
03/26/2025 / By Willow Tohi



Studies show paper bags require more energy, water and materials to produce than plastic, and they emit greenhouse gases when decomposing in landfills.

Cotton totes must be reused over 100 times to offset their carbon footprint, and many end up unused, negating their environmental benefits.

Policies often lead to increased use of thicker plastic trash bags or impractical paper alternatives, failing to reduce overall waste.

One-size-fits-all bans ignore practical consumer needs and overlook the importance of reuse and recycling over material substitution.

Instead of bans, policymakers should promote recycling innovation, voluntary reuse and sustainable alternatives like hemp-based bags.

https://www.climate.news/2025-03-26-paper-plastic-environmental-deception-behind-bag-bans.html

[Smokin Joe]

I recall paper bags that didn't make it across the parking lot, but I can hang plastic bags on the fingers of one hand and carry 20-30 lbs of groceries in one hand--something paper bags would not permit.

Paper bags made good book covers for schoolbooks back in the day, or a way to wrap small packages on the cheap ("plain brown wrapper"), but those are dated uses now.

We re-use the heck out of plastic grocery bags. Small trash can liners is number one, but they get used for a host of things, even padding/packing material, where they get used again.

[Sighlass]

We reuse a lot of plastic bags, about 1/2 of them. They make liners in small garbage pails in the bedroom and bathrooms (often doubled up). But we also used paper bags to help start fires in the wood heater on occasion. When I split wood now days I save the wood chips produced and use them now instead to start fires (better output of heat). We have stores that we like that give better bags than others.

Got a dead animal in the yard, use plastic bags as a glove to pick it up and wrap to dispose of it.

Lot of reuses for plastic bags, but still not enough to reuse them all so some get just thrown away (usually the ones that get wet in transport).

[catfish1957]

And to the crowd who screams about degradability of these.....   I accidentally left a bag of bags in the back of my pick up truck, and after 4 years with heat and oxidation that disintegrated into flakes.  Actually was pretty shocked.