| Results: Plastic > Paper 7 to 4 Yesterday's Inequality here Paper grocery bags are made of a single layer of paper and are not waterproof. Having just one layer and no coating makes these bags the most easily recyclable. Over 50% of paper is recycled, in fact. The paper used to make these bags comes either from trees or previously recycled paper. The bags that are not recycled do eventually break down into organic material. Although paper bags can typically fit more volume in them, they cannot bear much weight and rip easily, especially when damp. Plastic grocery bags are created using polyethylene. This product makes these bags somewhat durable, malleable, and watertight. Polyethylene is also recyclable although less than 6% of plastic bags are actually recycled. These bags can be either melted down and reformed into more rigid forms or turned back into plastic bag material. Unlike paper, however, the plastics that are not recycled are not biodegradable and keep their shape and structure for thousands of years. These bags are normally smaller than paper bags, however, they can hold more weight and are not weakened when wet. Of course there is the "reusable" bag, but that is not the issue at hand. *Thanks to Robbie |
|
Here you are given the opportunity to share your opinion and vote on IMPORTANT topics.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Fan Friday: Paper > or < Plastic?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Am I going to save the environment by using paper bags? No. Will I even contribute? In all likelihood, probably not. So I'm going to stick with the convenience of plastic bags. Plus, they're great for emptying the litter box. Bam, recycled.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Shelly, the convenience of the plastic bag and ability to reuse it outweigh the environmental characteristics of a paper bag. Nothing worse than having a paper bag full of groceries rip on your way to the door.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, who voted for paper?
ReplyDeleteWatch the top video in the plastic video bar if you're worried about the ability to recycle plastic bags. The only thing paper bags are good for is starting fires.
ReplyDeleteMy vote for plastic is an intentional vote *against* the environment. DOWN WITH PLANET EARTH! HUMAN --> MARS MIGRATION, 2030!
ReplyDeleteI picked paper. I like them better and I use them afterwards to put and dispose of my other recyclables in. For me, paper is much more convenient.
ReplyDeleteChris is clearly a communist.
ReplyDelete