When at the grocery store, paper or plastic?

Question

I was at the grocery store yesterday, and the bagger asked, "Plastic okay?" I said no, I'll go with paper today. He didn't seem inconvenienced but others in line behind me did as it took the bagger longer to figure out how to put the groceries in the paper bags. I also came home with frozen food mixed in with bread. I remember the days when this was not the case. It seems the more environmentally friendly we want to be, the less environmentally friendly we have actually become.

Answer 1

I do occasionally forget my reusable bags as well, and when I do I feel paper is the better choice. Plastic bags are very light weight and can't hold much, and they often become litter.

Try not to worry if the people in line seem to be in a hurry, it isn't your fault if the bagger is slow. I don't think it takes any more time to ask them to separate items either. I always ask for my frozen items to be in a separate bag. I do make sure to put them on the counter last.

Answer 2

Well, it is a certainty that cloth bags are better than either paper or plastic.  They are reusable, washable, and lightweight.  Throw some in your car, bike pannier, or backpack so you always have them with you.  If you are only buying a few items, just say no to a bag altogether!

Many stores are also starting to carry reusable bags made out of recycle materials.  These aren't as sturdy as cloth, but the fact that they are recycled and reusable for a while give them an edge over paper and plastic bags.

More specific info courtesy of Grist below, along with a link to one of many places to buy cloth bags.

Oh, and do let your grocery store manager know that his/her staff needs training on bagging in /all/ kinds of bags! :-)

Answer 3

The frozen food on the bread happens to me with both paper and plastic, so I watch the baggers closely. If I must use store bags instead of my own, I go with the one that I can reuse the most. For me it is the paper, which becomes mulch in my vegetable garden. For some folks it is plastic, which they might keep in their car to reuse when they go shopping.

Answer 4

how about the next time you go to the store you bring your own canvas bags? that's even better than paper bags.

Answer 5

I echo Dana, who is exactly right, but I want to note that petroleum is used to make plastic bags, so I'd say plastic is probably worse for that reason because it puts further strain on an already undersupplied market.

Answer 6

I also suggest buying your own canvas shopping bags.  Then you never have to decide again between paper and plastic.

Answer 7

Re-usable cloth are fantastic and easier to carry your groceries in.

Paper too because I recycle my newspapers and need the brown bag to put them in for the collectors.

Plastic too because I need them at home, I carry one around the house while I am cleaning. or when I go to the dog park to clean up after my furbaby.

Answer 8

I 'll go with Bedu.

Answer 9

Paper.   I'd rather support someone closer to home than the middle east.   If they aren't smart enough to figure out how to put stuff in a paper bag instead of plastic there is no help for them.

Answer 10

We try to carry reusable bags in our car, but we still go with plastic if we need to (I know shame on us)  But we can recycle them at our local stores.  Paper bags are a bit harder for us to carry up all the stairs.

Answer 11

Obviously reuseable bags are the best.  If you need to choose between paper and plastic, it's a tough call.

Plastic requires less energy and raw materials to create, but they're also more difficult to recycle.  You need a specific plastic bag recycling program.

Paper bags require more energy and materials to produce, but are very easy to recycle.

So basically I put it in this order:

1) Reuseable

2) Plastic if there's a local plastic bag-specific recycling program you can use

3) Paper

4) Plastic if there's no specific recycle program