Paper or plastic.... does it matter.....

sometimes it's hard to decide between paper and plastic bags. there are some advantages and disadvantages. it's depend which side are you. maybe better to use reusable bag, so that means we can use it at anytime and anywhere and ofcourse you're in style. but for this kind of bag, you need to spend some more money to buy it. but it's worth it ! lately, they use cheapest plastic, it might be dangerous for us too. so i prefer to use my own bag, much more cheaper for a long term

We ge charged for bags, Walmart doesn't though. I usually get plastic from Walmart to use as garbage bags (so I don't have to buy them), or when I clean the litter pans, or their cages. I know it's not real environmental but it's cheapier for me, and saves me money.

In Malaysia we have certain states like Selangor which is controlled by opposition practises no plastic bags on Saturdays. Shoppers have to bring their on recycled bags. However, when shoppers do not bring their own bags they have to pay for it at 20 cents a bag ( US $ 1.00 = RM 1.00 ). In Penang which is also controlled by opposition, where everyday is no plastic day. I bring my own recycle bag. This will help contribute towards a better environment and a better tomorrow.

good day mariaperalta, here in our country, it was already a part of the law and being implemented. people are being prohibited to use plastics. and the government keeps on campaigning for the use of paper bags. hence, the grocery owners and supermarkets are charging an amount if the buyer or customers would still insist to use plastic bags. anyway, either plastics or paper bags, people should observe the proper discipline, hence, it would not really matter if people will avoid using plastic bags if they didn't know how to take care its surroundings.

I know that paper bags are good for nature but how am I suppose to carry three paper bags full of groceries to my house. The main reason why my country does not use paper bags is because almost the whole population uses public transport (mostly buses and trains) and we don't have cabs so plastic bags help a lot with their plastic handles. There is a better option of using the reusable fabric bags which are really strong.

I remember reading an article by some professor at some college who did a study on the difference. From what I remember here were the results, 1. The energy going into making paper bags is more damaging to our system than the use of plastic bags. 2. As long as plastic bags are disposed of properly, plastic bags a much more environmental friendly. 3. Cloth bags would have to be used over 1000 times to justify their usage over plastic. If a plastic bag is reused at least once, then plastic bag are way much better. Line garbage pails with them, take lunch to work, and many other uses. My family reuse every plastic bag we get. So from the studies I have read, plastic bags come out the winner. We just need to make sure we reuse them if we can, and dispose them properly. I know the tree huggers do not like these facts.

Oh many cities has implemented this green approach already. If you do not bring your own, you will have to pay for the plastic bags used for whatever you have bought. the amount of the plastics will be used to supposedly recycle the plastic bags.. that is what they had in the city ordinances. I do not mind bringing my own green bag, disposal or not. If i can help eliminate plastic bags, then that is okay with me. I mean why not help if i can and if i do need a plastic bag for what i bought, i.e meats, 2 liter soft drinks(heavy) i will just either bring it or i would pay for it. its cheap if i do not count all the times i paid for a plastic bag. =P This is okay, a very environmentally concerned approach and let us try to support this as we know that it is for the betterment of our environment by eliminating unnecessary wastes.

There are advantages and disadvantages and for me being green is not the priority because well you can take green too far, i.e. humans are bad and animals should run wild in the streets and kill everybody. I remember when they had paper and there were accidents when the eggs broke or the produce was damp and the bottom of the bag broke out. So when they offered plastic it was wonderful. We could at least get home and have everything intact. Then we could use the plastic to put in our trash, carry gifts to friends and not worry, store things. Then this environmental thing came and for a time, I had to scrape to find plastic bags for my garbage since I used those cloth and bags made from soda bottles for shopping. Luckily my renter left her plastic bags when moving and I did not want to buy special plastic kitchen bags. So I would go for plastic when shopping and only in those stores where they do not charge for them.

Yes even here in the Philippines there are cities and localities that have banned the used of plastic bags. But shops have paper bags in exchange. Now if you want bags made of cloth you have to pay, if not, then bring your own. I actually find this really good because this has significantly lessen the amount of garbage that can clog the drainage and cause floods during rainy season. It may be quite inconvenient to shoppers but what is little convenience if it brings in big and better results to all? So to me paper or plastic... it does really matter a lot because choosing one over the other brings about a big difference in the effect to the whole community or the country at large.

I try to remember to take my own reusable bags into the store. However, when I forget or buy more stuff than my bags will hold, I ask for plastic. My reasoning is that they are more useful. I use plastic bags as dust covers and to line trash cans. When I accumulate more than I can use, I take them to one of our local thrift shops, who are always happy to get them. I do wish everyone would keep track of their plastic bags. Plastic bags billowing from the top of trees is not attractive. Maybe just switching to paper would be a better solution. At least they are biodegradable.

The problem is without plastic bags what do you do for garbage? I need something to dump the cat litter into, something for wet garbage. I don't like buying garbage bags. It's a waste of money and has the same problems as shopping bags. No?

I assume it all depend on the type of food and products you want to bag in, if the food is generally heavy, then paper bag most probably can hold up better in containing the weight of those food without tear apart. But if the food you want to bag is wet in nature, then using paper bag may not be a good idea compare to using plastic bag. Even though plastic bag is very unfriendly to our environment, it take century for it to degrade and decompose inside our landfill, plastic bag also pay some useful role in packaging our food and product like mentioned above, it is usually cost less to the store to bag your food using plastic bag compare to using paper bag, that is why some stores require customer to pay for requesting paper bag, they added more to the overhead cost for the store. And you know, plastic bag is normally smaller size and is suitable for bagging just a few items compare to using a paper bag which usually come in much a bigger size that is suitable to bag many items you buy from the store. I usually don't mind to use plastic bag if it allow me to carry my items or food to the house without breaking up at the bottom and hold up, if not, i will use paper bag, unfortunately, it is going to cost me extra $$$ from using it in certain store, which i think is another great way for the store to make extra profit.

Plastic is not good for the environment at all! here where I live we have the choice to buy green bags and you can use them for a long time...so when we go shopping we take them with us so we don't use plastic bags very much which is a good thing.

Paper bags are quite pointless for grocery shopping - no strength in them. We are all aware of the damage plastics can do, however if we reuse the bags then this will help to limit the effects. In the UK we have something called "Bags for Life" - these are a thicker plastic bag that is designed to be reused over and over again. Now that all sounds wonderful, but I would imagine that in Mexico you just put bags in a drawer or cupboard and forget about them, just likd we do here

I have to get into the habit of taking bags with me shopping - i always forget and over time the cost of bags here adds up (25 cents a bag!) I like taking the cloth reusable bags.

I have never thought about it either. And the stores here have been doing that for a while now. I had a few of those green bags, but they all fell apart. I still think the plastic bags are better for carrying. I live on the 3rd floor so I need to carry everything up two flights of stairs. And the plastic bags make that easier. If those other bags had zippers, then that would be much better.

I'm a person who does a lot for conservation. Plastic is not biodegradable but paper is. You can make plastic re-usable but it won't disintegrate.

It doesn`t matter. It is only propaganda to make you pay more money."we have a big problem, but if you pay more money we will be fine "

I think a plastic bag is better than the paper bag because it is more durable... how about your opinion?

ok the scoop on paper or plastic paper will decompose in the landfills plastic takes a very long time to break down so i use the plastic once i get from time to time for trash but yes i have the green thing going on here