TRIVIAL PURSUITS: Paper or Plastic Bags: Which Is Better for the Environment?

However, between paper and plastic, which is better for the environment?

The answer is plastic.

The manufacturing process to produce paper bags requires much more energy than that for producing plastic bags. In addition, manufacturing paper bags produces more greenhouse gases, acid rain and water pollutants.

Also, recycling paper bags requires more energy than recycling plastic bags, and paper bags take up more space in a landfill.

It is true that paper bags degrade faster than plastic bags, and plastic bags can threaten wildlife, but, all things considered, there are more environmental negatives associated with paper bags.

 

Source: “Sorry, Wrong Answer” by Rod L. Evans, Ph.D.

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