| So which will it be then, paper OR plastic, | | | | |
| hmmm? The question is tough to avoid, unless | | | | Some people overlook the fact that plastic, |
| you've figured out how to eat without EVER | | | | like other products with a petroleum base, |
| going to the grocery store. Chances are, most | | | | comes from oil, which is drilled from the |
| of us haven't given the choice too much | | | | earth, piped or trucked and later refined. |
| thought - or if we have, we remained clueless | | | | Some properties of oil are manipulated into |
| as to which was the lesser of the two evils. | | | | five principal types of polymers, during the |
| Understanding the impact that paper and | | | | process by which plastic is made from oil. |
| plastic bags have on the environment is a | | | | Plastic bags are made from one of these five |
| great place to start. Inevitably, | | | | types, known as polyethylene, which is a |
| consciousness will lead you to purchase a | | | | highly manipulate-able material - it's |
| canvas or otherwise re-useable bag for your | | | | re-useable, printable, and can be formatted |
| grocery shopping, but educating yourself on | | | | into a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. |
| the differences between paper and plastic is | | | | Although the process of making plastic |
| also a smart idea. | | | | requires energy and may in fact do little |
| | | | else to damage the environment, the negative |
| The Troubles With Paper Bags | | | | effects of oil drilling are numerous. |
| | | | |
| It's common knowledge that paper comes from | | | | Plastic Bags and Recycling |
| trees that are found and later felled by the | | | | |
| logging industry. Logging involves machines | | | | In some ways, plastic bags are no different |
| -- from the machines used to remove the trees | | | | from paper - including the fact that |
| from the forests, to the logging trucks or | | | | post-use, they either end up in a landfill or |
| helicopters involved in the process of | | | | they get recycled. In the landfill, however, |
| harvesting, to the machines used to strip the | | | | it will not compost, and actually interrupts |
| bark - and like anything involving machines, | | | | the breaking down of other garbage products |
| fossil fuels are not far behind. Forest | | | | with which it is mixed in the landfill. In |
| habitat is destroyed in the process, and | | | | most cases, to recycle the material, one |
| surrounding ecology is negatively impacted. | | | | merely has to melt it down (thereby |
| Sources say that "in 1999, 14 million trees | | | | sterilizing it) and then form it into another |
| were cut to produce the 10 billion paper | | | | shape, for instance, a new bag. Recycling of |
| grocery bags used by Americans that year | | | | plastic bags can take place many times before |
| alone." | | | | the material becomes too brittle to go |
| | | | through the process; after these stages of |
| To accelerate the drying process that trees | | | | recycling, it can still take on another use |
| must go through in order to be prepared for | | | | as a different functional product. |
| pulp, they are stripped, chipped and "cooked" | | | | |
| under heat with an acid (composed of | | | | When plastic is burned during recycling, it |
| sulphurous acid and limestone), for hours. | | | | can create dioxins and release heavy metals |
| From nearly three tons of these wood chips | | | | into the atmosphere; the ash from burning |
| will come one ton of pulp, which must be | | | | plastic is toxic and needs special |
| washed and bleached, requiring large amounts | | | | consideration during disposal. In landfills, |
| of clean water. Coloring is later added, | | | | plastic does not break down - it always |
| after which the mixture of pulp and water is | | | | remains plastic, maybe just in smaller pieces |
| filtered and rolled into paper. Through | | | | that mix in with the earth. |
| production, packaging and shipping, more | | | | |
| fuels and chemicals are used and further | | | | So Which Does Green Eggs and Planet Think Is |
| environmental damage is sustained. | | | | Better? Paper or Plastic? |
| | | | |
| Paper Bags and Recycling | | | | On the plus side, both materials can be |
| | | | recycled, and both materials have multiple |
| After a paper bag is used, it will either end | | | | uses beyond the initial holding of the |
| up in a landfill or it will be recycled. | | | | groceries. The manufacture of both paper and |
| Eventually, after many years, the paper bag | | | | plastic bags burns through natural resources, |
| will break down in the landfill. At the | | | | and both cause damage to the environment |
| recycling center, through the use of | | | | during production. While paper is more |
| chemicals to break down the materials and | | | | recycle-able than plastic, it also results in |
| clean them, the paper becomes pulp once more. | | | | the destruction of more resources through the |
| Paper bags eventually break down and can be | | | | process of paper production. I think if you |
| composted, unless they are covered with | | | | are going to use paper OR plastic bags at the |
| printing and ink. | | | | super market, I would say to make sure you |
| | | | maximize the uses you get out of either, and |
| The Saga of the Grocery Store Plastic Bag | | | | more importantly, be sure to recycle. |