These days, when you hear the question, “Paper or plastic?” the answer is an almost instinctive “Paper!” We all know that plastic is terrible for the environment, and that plastic bags, in particular, are clogging up our oceans, choking our wildlife and generally wreaking havoc on the world.
Because of this, and because the paper bag industry has positioned itself as the solution for decades now, we rarely stop to ask a critical question: Is paper actually that much better?
The truth is, no, it’s not. Paper does a lot of damage to the Earth as well, and every time we unthinkingly grab a few bags at the checkout stand, we contribute to that damage. It’s time to learn the truth about paper bags, so we can start making better choices today.
Because the answer to “Paper or plastic?” should actually be “Neither … I brought my own.”