Paper or Plastic?

Paper or Plastic?

As consumers, communities, and governments push to end single-use plastic disposable products (such as straws and plastic bags), many companies are turning to paper products as an alternative. Although paper is considered by many to be the "better" choice, it also has harmful environmental effects.

First of all, paper bags and straws are made of trees. Trees act as a carbon sink and can temporarily store carbon in the atmosphere, thereby reducing the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, thereby slowing climate change. On the other hand, plastic bags are made from petroleum by-products, which means they are made from materials that have been extracted and processed for other purposes. In contrast, paper bags must be made of fresh raw materials, which means more deforestation and habitat destruction.

Second, the production of paper bags is energy and water resource intensive. The production of a paper bag consumes about 10% more energy and about 4 times more water than the production of a plastic bag. Although recycled paper can be used, it requires more energy and water for the recycling process than the original material, and the finished product is less durable.

Third, paper bags have more mass and are heavier than plastic bags, which means they need more fuel for transportation. From this perspective, 7 trucks are needed to transport 2 million paper bags, while only 1 truck is needed to transport the same number of plastic bags. In addition, the increased weight and volume greatly increase the amount of waste that needs to be landfilled once it is thrown away. In fact, in landfills, discarding paper bags can cause greenhouse gas emissions to increase three to seven times compared with plastic packaging bags. A large number of paper bags are even related to acid rain and the destruction of lake ecosystems.

Regardless of environmental issues, paper products are usually more expensive than plastic products. The unit price of paper straws is about 5 to 12 cents, while the unit price of plastic straws is less than 2 cents. Although it is generally believed that paper products are a lose-lose for companies and the environment.

Therefore, neither paper nor plastic is the choice.

The best environmentally friendly solution is to avoid disposable items and use reusable items. Reusable alternatives, such as cloth bags or reusable stainless steel or glass water bottles, coffee cups and straws can be used repeatedly to reduce disposable waste. It is the best choice instead of paper and plastic.

Straw

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