Plastic bags VS Paper Bags?

Question

if you have a choose of using paper bag or plastic bag, which one would you go for?

Answer 1

Bring your own bag if you can, and re-use either bag you choose if you forget to bring your own. I have been using the linen bags and they seem to work much better than either paper or plastic.

Answer 2

BURLAP

Answer 3

paper with a plastic lining.

Answer 4

I try not to use them at all, but bring a couple of canvas bags. If I forget, then I'll have whatever the shop offers, if I need a bag at all - they usually don't give you a choice between plastic of paper!

Answer 5

Paper

Cause it rots

Plastic doesnt

Answer 6

Paper, they can be recycled in many ways.  I cut large ones open and use them to make patterns when sewing, for an example.  I could list a dozen more examples.

The plastic bags from grocery stores are so thin, they most often have holes in the bottom by the time you get finished putting the groceries away!!

Answer 7

plastic

Answer 8

Use your own canvas bag (s) at the grocery store. plastic bags are not good for the environment and paper bags take down our trees. if you had to choose, choose paper because it stronger and you can use it for other uses.

Answer 9

paper bags most definitely.  plastic is so bad. i haven't used plastic bags for a while now; i have stocked up on shopping bags and tend to use those

Answer 10

Everytime I go to the store I bring my reusable bags that I have, and if necessary, buy 1 more. They're only 99 cents and now I have quite a few. I keep them in my car so I have them for spontaneous trips and for warehouse stores. Eventually, I'll have all I need. I also use them for general totes and beach bags...you just can't beat them for the price! Oh, and for the record, I buy eggs and produce and things too, and don't tend to find my bags needing to be washed regularly, not even after a weekend farmers' market!

Answer 11

paper

Answer 12

The most environmentally friendly is to bring your own reusable bag (i.e. canvas bag).

If you can't or won't, then it depends.

Paper bags require more energy to produce and trees to be cut down, but are easily recyclable.

Plastic bags require less energy to produce, but are not recyclable.  They are reusable for other applications, but only if your area has a specific plastic grocery bag recycling program (every retail store in California is now required by law to have one, for example).

So from most to least environmentally friendly:

1) Bring canvas bag(s)

2) Plastic if there's a specific recycling program

3) Paper

4) Plastic if there's no recycling program

Answer 13

I think paper is best, unless your picking up dog poo, then you can't beat plastic.

Answer 14

neither we should follow Ireland and bring our own.

  ok paper.

Answer 15

you can put a paper bad over a girls face when you are making love... with plastic its not really a good idea

Answer 16

id go with plastic because even when plastic gets wet, it is not ruined for good!

Answer 17

paper bags

Answer 18

neither as i always use my big reuseable cotton bag!

Answer 19

Plastic.

What's going to happen when their is a heavy downpour of rain or when you put to much in the paperbag and 'riip' everything on the floor.

Answer 20

Plastic, I can re use a plastic bag.

I've had the same 4 re-usable bags for over 2 years now and they are still going strong, like to see a paper one do that.

I would prefer a natural fibre one, but have you seen what shops charge for those?

My girlfriend tells me paper bags take a lot more energy to produce too

Answer 21

neither...

I use the hollowed out carcases of dead owls

Answer 22

I would get my own burlap or jute bag. In the worst case I would use plastic and re-use them. Why? Check this site out:

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/ecogeek/266/...

Answer 23

I would choose paper, it is recyclable.

Answer 24

Why two choices?

Answer 25

Neither - I use my own canvas bags.  

But if I do forget I get paper.

Answer 26

Neither. Bring your own canvas bag. :)