Which Is Greener: Paper, Plastic, Or Cotton?
July 20th, 2009 Posted in Green Living & News
There has been great debate on which type of grocery bags consumers should use when promoting a “greener” world. Your options are: paper, plastic, or cotton.
Paper and plastic have been the main types of bags at local markets for years and years, but now, companies such as Walmart are selling re-usable cotton bags that consumers can bring with them when shopping for groceries.
The question is, which one of these options are the most environmentally-friendly?
Before the arrival of cotton bags, plastic and paper have been battling it out.
Most consumers believe that paper is a more environmentally sound option since paper biodegrades much faster than plastic, and can be recycled at a faster rate.
What the average consumer does not know is that paper production causes 70 times more air pollution and 50 times more water pollution than producing plastic according to the EPA. So, the paper option is not as “green” as the average person had originally thought.
Paper bags also waste more space than plastic bags. A trunk of a car can hold 10,000 plastic bags, but an entire warehouse would be needed to hold 10,000 paper bags. Plastic weighs much less than paper as well and requires less space in landfills.
Landfills are becoming full each year and new ones are being developed. By using plastic, the world will require less landfills in the upcoming future.
The newer cotton bags that can be found in most large grocery stores today are the best option for a “greener” environment. However, there are some hidden tricks in the production of cotton bags that tend to get overlooked by consumers.
Cotton is heavily dependent on pesticides and insecticides, unually not natural insecticide, and it is responsible for 25% of chemical pesticides used on American crops. These chemical pesticides are not eco-friendly pesticides either.
Most of the cotton is woven overseas since it is more cost-efficient for companies. This process causes more use of fossil fuels because of the machinery that is used to make the fabric, and then the transportation required to ship the product to the United States. But, the good news is, cotton bags outlast paper and plastic for years when maintained. So out of paper, plastic, or cotton – cotton is the best choice.
Next time you’re at a store that offers reusable cotton bags, pick one up! Cotton Bags are not only more durable than the other choices, they also help our world cut down on excess waste.
By Lee Elkin
7 Comments | The First 1,000 to Comment (Starting 12/21/2009) Will Become EcoSMART Product Testers!
By Carolle Huber on Jul 22, 2009
If I forget my own bags, which happens more than I’d like to admit, I opt for paper, because then I can use them to bundle my recyclable paper and cardboard. I guess it may be better just to bundle them with jute!
By Rob on Jul 24, 2009
Wow, this is very interesting. I generally feel guilty for using paper instead of plastic. I guess I shouldn’t!
By Estelle on Jul 29, 2009
I’m glad you compared paper to plastic bags. However, I know people who buy cotton bags and forget to bring them to the store regularly. Some clothing stores are giving out cloth bags without asking their customers if they would want them and reuse them.
You also didn’t touch on the waste created from dyeing cotton bags.
By joe on Mar 8, 2010
wow this is sop cool and intresting. i would have never gused
By Sam on Mar 10, 2010
Cool that is asome i never thought that that wold be true
By Greg on Mar 11, 2010
this is awesome…im goin to buy a cottton bag now1
By hi on Jan 19, 2011
wow! thanks a lot! it helped me so much and it was amazingly organized.
it had so much information!