Our quest to finding the most sustainable shopping bag. The answer is mixed.
which bag is better?
A trip to the grocery store involves a basketful of decisions—literally. From prices, claims of health benefits, new or trending products and environmental considerations. However, the decisions don’t end there. Those of us striving to be environmentally responsible, health-conscious shoppers want to ensure we’re being eco-friendly during the shopping experience from start to finish, including the shopping bag we use. Thus, we ask ourselves, “Which bag is better?” Paper, Plastic or Reusable Bags?
life cycle consideration
To understand the sustainability of a particular bag, we need to look at the bigger picture. From how much energy is used to how many environmental impacts a product is responsible for at every stage, from creation to disposal.
This includes:
- extracting the raw materials
- refining the materials
- manufacturing the product
- packaging it for shipment
- transporting and distributing it
- its use and possible reuse
- recycling
- final disposal
When determining which bag type is the most eco friendly, the total environmental impact also depends on efficiency and protective environmental measures at these various stages. In the end, total energy use consideration includes how long a product is used along with the final disposal method.
paper, plastic or reusable bags
Let’s compare the main bag choices.
Paper Bags
- biodegradable
- made from a renewable resource
- easy to recycle or compost
- higher recycle rate than plastic
- can be made from recycled material
- millions of trees cut-down each year
- requires a lot of water and fuel
- use of chemicals in the making and recycling process, before & after use respectfully
Plastic Bags
- never biodegrades, taking several decades to break up into smaller pieces, forming microplastics
- two main types of plastic: high-density polyethylene (HDPE) & low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
- smallest carbon footprint, in terms of production
- high single-use rate
- estimated disposal of 100 billion plastic bags each year by Americans
- less than five percent are recycled after use
- plastic waste is omnipresent and pervasive, causing an enormous environmental problem
- difficult to dispose of properly causing litter in the ocean and landfills, endangering wildlife
Reusable Cotton Bags
- biodegradable
- made from a renewable resource
- strong and durable, can be reused multiple times
- particularly pesticide-intensive and water-heavy crop
- organic cotton yields less than conventional cotton and consumes more water and land to produce
- cotton and other reusable shopping bags carry and transfer bacteria
- washable
Reusable Plastic Bags
- not biodegradable
- can include recycled material
- made from nonwoven polypropylene plastic
- less carbon-intensive to produce than cotton
- stronger and more durable than single-use plastic bags, can be reused multiple times
- needs to be washed to avoid contamination
the experts take away
Steve Cohen, director of the Research Program on Sustainability Policy and Management at the Earth Institute, said that it’s very hard to predict whether plastic, paper or cloth bags are the best in terms of net energy or carbon, because they all use carbon.
In terms of bag choice, how we use and dispose of bags matters the most.
Ultimately, a single-use bag is the worst possible choice. The key to reducing your environmental impact is by reusing whatever bags you already have as many times and in as many possible ways.
Sources:
https://stanfordmag.org/contents/paper-plastic-or-reusable
https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2020/04/30/plastic-paper-cotton-bags
Free Stock Photo by Vecteezy – vegetables in grocery bag on yellow background
