Say “No” to Single Use Bags
Published May 24, 2022
You realize you forgot your convenient reusable tote at home on your way to the grocery store. Now you're left with two options: pack your groceries in a paper or plastic bag, but what is the more sustainable choice?
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is a method used to evaluate the environmental impact of all life cycle stages of products, processes, and services. LCA sorts out this saga, telling us that while plastic bags are recyclable, the matter is that they are recycled infrequently and usually end in the landfill. Although these thin grocery bags, known as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), are produced with elements such as petroleum, they result in fewer carbon emissions, waste, and harmful byproducts than cotton or paper bag productions. It is important to note that studies regarding microplastic pollution are relatively new and ongoing. We do not yet know their true effect on wildlife and the environment; many studies on plastic bags do not take account for the effects of litter and microplastics.
Although paper bags are more accessible to recycle because they are biodegradable and compostable, they are resource-heavy to produce. Paper bags use three times more water and emit two times more greenhouse gasses than plastic grocery bags during its manufacturing process. The environment experiences harmful impacts due to chemicals and fertilizers used in their production.
Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but one thing is for sure, paper bags are not a solution for plastic as you may have heard. Regardless of what material your bag is made out of, the most sustainable option is to reuse the bags you already own. In every type of study, it is clear that reusing bags as many times as possible will reduce its impact on the environment.
Sources:
Cho, R. (April 30, 2020). Plastic, Paper or Cotton: Which Shopping Bag is Best? Columbia Climate School. <https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2020/04/30/plastic-paper-cotton-bags/>
National Energy Technology Laboratory. Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of Energy Technology and Pathways. NETL. <https://netl.doe.gov/LCA>
National Geographic Society. (July 21, 2022). Sustainable Shopping—Which Bag Is Best? National Geographic. <https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/sustainable-shoppingwhich-bag-best/>
UN Environment Programme. (Dec 20, 2021). From Birth to Ban: A History of the Plastic Shopping Bag. UN Environment Programme. <https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/birth-ban-history-plastic-shopping-bag>
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