Do you prefer paper or plastic?

[falmouth3 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close falmouth3]

We now have a large wheeled tote for our trash. And recycling bins. They finally decided to do recycling every week. Every other week was painful for me because we had a full bin with just newspapers and magazines, never mind the glass, metal, and plastic containers.

When I lived in Maine, we had to pay by the bag (special bags purchased at the grocery store) for trash pick up. They didn't do recycling at the curb, but we had several dumpster-like bins to separate our recyclables into. These were in locations thoughout the town. Because people had to pay by the bag, we had a very high percentage of recycling, even though we needed to drive the stuff to the recycling location.

[Icc5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Icc5]

Grocery store worker

We use both and try to recycle both. We both work in a grocery store and the wife shops some after work each day. We prefer paper with handles because the wife packs a lunch for the two of us and we use the bag for 2-3 weeks before it goes to recycle. She puts the plastic bags in a bigger plastic bag and each month brings back to the recycle area at work.
Bart

[idahodude Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close idahodude]

Well, of course, reusable bags are the most environmentally friendly, but consider these things:

Paper bags take more energy to produce than plastic, and they require more energy to transport as each bag is heavier.

Paper bags are made from a renewable resource, while plastic bags are not.

Paper bags break down much more quickly in landfills than plastic bags and don't release nealry as many toxic breakdown products as plastic.

So, IMO, if you recycle your plastic bags, they're slightly more environmentally-friendly. If you throw them away, you lose the benefits that you gained from choosing the bag which required less energy to manufacture.

If you throw your bags away, then paper bags are generally a better choice even though they require more energy to manufacture up front.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Along this same line, at the golf course where I started the voluntary aluminum can recycling program, I also have wanted to start a voluntary program to reduce the number of foam cups being used. It would be a simple thing where golfers/members could purchase nifty logo-ed insulation mugs that fit in the cupholders (like TS4Ms mugs). Some are already doing that with cups from elsewhere, as do I.

(The course currently provides free foam cups. About a third of the cups go directly into the waste basket without being used because an extra cup frequently falls on the floor when you take one out of the dispenser. They all go to the landfill, of course.)

Oprah did this for Harpo's coffee room and it cut $50,000/year in cup expense. (Lot's of coffee. )

I took my insulated mug the day before yesterday . . . and left it there . . . somewhere.

[longtimer Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close longtimer]

I have a large supply of "green" canvas tote bags. I like them because they hold more than the paper or plastic grocery store bags. However, if I get meats, I always put them in the plastic bags first. I've had the juices drip out and the cloth bags don;t hold up well in the laundry. On occasion, I will get a paper bag - if available - to put newspapers in for recycling. That works better than tying them up with cords. I must admit, I haven't quite gotten into the habit of using the cloth bags. I never remember to put them back in the car, so I end up buying new ones all the time. I must have about 30 of the bags at home. Well, they'll come in handy when we're no longer allowed to use paper or plastic bags.

[Dori Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dori]

Here in Toronto, we are charged a nickel for each plastic bag! I try to remember to take my own totes, but find that sometimes I need those plastic shopping bags to hold kitchen waste and kitty litter.

Dori