Paper has become a popular alternative for grocery check-outs as more cities, states, and countries have banned single-use plastic bags. At first glance, this seems like a clear victory for the environment. After all, plastic bags are made with the main source of fossil fuels and pollution.
However, paper bags are not necessarily a better option. Like reusable totes, they come with their own list of environmental warnings.
Below are some things to keep in mind when making an informed decision about bagging your groceries.
Plastic and paper
Compare different types of grocery bags with apples and aprils, making them pun intended. This is because the environmental footprint of the bag depends on many factors, such as how it was made, the materials used, and the distance of transportation. However, some in-depth research conducted on this subject provides some useful takeaways.
Paper bags tend to need to produce more energy than plastic ones. For example, a 2011 study by the UK Environment Agency concluded that paper bags must be reused three times to bring about the effects of global warming along plastic bags that were used only once.
A 2018 survey by the Danish Environmental Protection Agency found that plastic bags made from low density polyethylene, a similarly versatile and used plastic, have the smallest environmental footprint of eight different grocery bags, including those in paper.
But this still means that most paper and plastic bags will end up in landfills and, to a lesser extent, incinerators. In landfills, paper bags produce methane and carbon dioxide. Neither plastic bags in landfills are produced, but when plastic escapes to the environment, it can sometimes break down into microplastics that last for centuries.
Samantha McBride, an urban waste expert at Baruch University at City University of New York, highlighted another consideration that consumers should keep in mind. The use of plastic bags perpetuates the fossil fuel industry. “That system needs to be withdrawn if it's going to be in the future,” she said.
Totes take home
Reusable totes are gaining popularity as a way to reduce the demand for disposable bags. However, these goodwill backfired in a way as branded totes became ubiquitous stolen items along with meetings, company events and certain retailers.
If a household accumulates more totes than it can be used, it beats the purpose of reducing overall consumption. Also, heavy-duty bags require more resources and materials to produce more resources and materials compared to disposable footprints.
The materials are especially important. A British study found that, for example, cotton bags need to be reused 131 times to reach the equivalent carbon footprint of a single plastic bag. The Danish study has brought the figure to 149 times. This is due to the land needed to grow cotton, water, fertilizer, the energy needed to process cotton into thread, and the fact that most cotton bags are shipped from China or India.
Dr. MacBride recommended looking for reusable bags made in the country from more sustainable fibers like hemp and bamboo. Or even better, from used fabric scraps.
Conclusion
Whatever your bag is, experts agree that reusing as many times as possible is the key to defeating the footsteps of your environment.
Stephen Cohen, an environmental policy expert at Columbia University, is where paper bags fall. For example, urban residents who need to raise food in stores should wonder, “This is going to go home,” Dr. Cohen said.
If you're keen on reuse, a sturdy tote is probably the best option. Especially made from recycled materials. Don't accumulate dozens.
Michael Overcache, a chemical engineer and CEO of the Environmental Genome Initiative, a nonprofit group that evaluates the environmental footprint of products, cited a 2020 study, comparing the global warming potential of 20 products and finding that reusables are consistently superior to the number one product. The same conclusion should apply to the bag, he said.
“If you reuse a cotton bag 100 times, it will look dirty and you may want to wash it, but that means you don't need to make 100 paper or plastic bags,” Dr. Overcache said. “Mathematics is easy.”
