Pros of Using Paper Bags
Grocery store shoppers are frequently asked if they prefer paper or plastic bags. Presumably one is better for the environment than the other, but it's not so obvious whether it's paper or plastic. Paper is more expensive than polyethylene bags, which is why plastic bags were introduced -- to save costs. The truth is, they each have their benefits; paper bags have many benefits.
Other People Are Reading
-
Size & Shape
-
Typical grocery store paper bags hold more than corresponding plastic bags. Because their volume is larger, their carrying capacity is larger. Because their capacity is larger, fewer paper bags are required to carry the same amount of groceries if they were carried in plastic bags. Paper bags also have a flat bottom and a degree of structure to them, so they can be set on a counter or car seat without collapsing and spilling their contents.
Renewable
-
Paper bags are made from a renewable resource -- wood pulp. Paper used to make paper bags is often made from either recycled paper or from timber byproducts that wouldn't otherwise be used. While timber is a scarce resource, it is a renewable resource. The type of forest that produce lumber take the longest time to renew. Timber byproducts used to make paper, on the other hand, tend to be the fastest renewing of wood resources.
-
Biodegradable
-
One of the great advantages of paper bags is their biodegradability. Most often, the use of paper bags displaces the use of polyethylene bags, so paper bags tend to preclude the negative effects of polyethylene bags. Polyethylene bags are not biodegradable. When discarded they last a very long time. Their imperviousness to water means they can get caught in storm drains, which can wreak havoc in urban wastewater systems, even causing flooding from blocked storm drains. Birds and other small animals can inadvertently ingest polyethylene to their peril. Paper, on the other hand is made of organic material. It breaks down quickly, especially in the presence of water.
Reusable
-
Paper bags can be reused and recycled. While they may not have the durability of plastic bags, paper bags can withstand more than one use. Depending on the application, they may be used multiple times. They are almost always creased, making it easy to refold them and store them tidily until their next use. Their final use is often as a garbage bag. Or, once they are no longer functional, they can be recycled to turned into new paper bags again.
-
