Paper or Plastic Bags? Everything You Need to Know

Paper or plastic bags: which is better?

Itseems like it should be an easy choice, but there's an incrediblenumber of details and inputs hidden in each bag. From durability andreusability to life cycle costs, there's a lot more to each bag thanmeet the eye. Let's take a look behind the bags.

Where do brown paper bags come from?

Paper comes from trees -- lots and lots of trees.

Andthat's just to make the paper; don't forget about the energy inputs --chemical, electrical, and fossil fuel-based -- used to transport theraw material, turn the paper into a bag and then transport the finishedpaper bag all over the world.

Where do paper shopping bags go when you're done with them?

How are plastic bags produced?

Unlike paper bags, plastic bags are typically made from oil, a non-renewable resource.

Plastics are a by-product of the oil-refining process, accounting for about four percent of oil production around the globe

How does plastic bag recycling work?

What about biodegradable plastic bags?