Paper or Plastic? Neither.
I just saw a story on WSAZ that West Virginia is considering banning plastic bags at grocery and retail shops. If the ban went into effect, retailers would switch to paper bags or offer reusable bags for sale.
Here’s a few options available for reusable bags:
- Pier 1 offers great reusable cloth bags at a low price. They come in such pretty designs that I used a few of these as gift bags at Christmas.
- If you’re crafty, Kristina J. Millar offers an easy pattern to make your own bags. A set of these in funky fabric might make a nice gift for that hard-to-buy-for person.
- ReusableBags.com offers organic cotton bags priced as low as $3.95 if you buy four or more. They are machine washable, durable and hold about as much as a plastic grocery bag. Check out their other styles here.
Plastic takes more than 1,000 years to photodegrade, which means they break down into smaller, toxic bits that will contaminate our soil and water. Fourteen percent of all toxic air emissions in the United States is related to plastics manufacturing. Plastic bags are a petroleum product, keeping us dependent on foreign oil.
Ireland has rid itself of plastic bags by using a tax of about 33 cents each on the bags — and has had great success! It has now become socially unacceptable to use plastic bags, there has been a large reduction in roadside litter and the money raised by the tax is used for environmental cleanup. The tax did not hurt businesses either, as no drop in sales was noted.
Paper bags are somewhat better than plastic, but still kills 14 million trees annually and takes a lot of energy to produce. They produce 70% more air pollutants and 50% more water pollutants than plastic bags.
West Virginians love our state and want to keep our environment safe and beautiful. I think a ban on plastic bags is something we could really support, once we realize what’s at stake.
February 11th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
every little bit counts, right?