paper or plastic: the best answer may be \"neither\".

Every year, Americans use more than 100 billion plastic shopping bags, consuming about 12 million barrels of oil.
After a very short working time, these bags are discarded to the landfill, where they will take 500 or more to break down, or become garbage, clog the storm and threaten marine wildlife
City governments that have passed or are considering plastic bag bans include Steamboat Springs, santalonika in Colorado, Portland, Oregon, California city San Francisco, Oakland and Boston, and Annapolis and Baltimore, Maryland.
Consumers in these cities must use paper or bring their own schoolbags.
Democratic City Council member Sam Shropshire of Annapolis said that many city residents moved to the city near chespaikibe and were damaged by 95% of plastic cashier bags and eventually by landfill sites or environmental damage.
\"We intend to put astop here in Annapolis,\" he said . \".
Large chains will have six months to stop using plastic;
Nine months for small companies
Businesses can replace plastic with 100% recycled paper bags. [
Slightly] Illustrations
According to recyclable bags
Com, four of the five shopping bags are made of plastic, and the average American family has accumulated 60 such \"free\" shopping bags on four trips to the grocery store.
Just throw away more than 90% plastic bags.
Arthur Liu, accounting director at EPI environmental products, said plastic bags from landfill sites occupy space and do not allow food and other garbage to be broken down with the help of oxygen.
\"Plastic is still very new, a lot [plastic bags]
\"The products made half a century ago are still there,\" he said . \"
NeilSeidman, local self-Research Institute
\"The accumulation of plastic is destroying our rivers and oceans,\" says Reliance.
\"However, in the debate between paper and plastic, there may be no real answer to either. Reusablebags.
Vince Cobb, president of Com, said paper bags are also a resource. and energy-intensive.
According to his website, paper bags produce 70% more air pollution than plastic, while paper bags are recycled faster than plastic, and the energy needed to recover a pound of Plasticine is 91% less than recycling a pound of paper.
\"I want to know, is it paper or plastic? \" Cobb says.
\"But the problem is not at the heart of the problem.
If you want to make a difference, spend less.
Amar mohanti, an associate professor at the school of packaging at Michigan State University, said that in a compost pile, the biodegradation of paper bags takes only two to five months.
But he says plastic bags are superior in terms of resource consumption.
\"We regret the forest and we also use a lot of water and energy to produce these paper bags,\" Mohanty said . \".
While some cities are pushing for a thorough plastic ban, in 2003 Ireland introduced \"Plastax\", which charges shoppers about 29 cents for each plastic bag they use.
Cobb said he believes that taxes are very successful, reducing Ireland\'s annual taxes. 2-billion-
Bag habits 90%.
A bag is missing.
\"The highlight of Plastax is that they mark acost on a project that is considered free,\" Cobb said . \".
Other alternatives to the ban are also available.
EPI distributes an eco-friendly chemical additive to packaging companies, and Liusays can completely break down plastic bags between months and years.
The bag breaks down into pieces through a process called light degradation.
When the fragments are enough hours, the microorganisms can be completely
This is a toxic process, Liu said.
\"Banning plastic bags is not a good solution because you don\'t give people a choice,\" Liu said . \".
\"Plasticine brings us convenience, hygiene and other benefits, so I think we need
Fierce solution
Patrick Arnell, president of Rayton packaging, said his company produces 100 million additives a year.
Processed bags, some of which go to Costco, Wal-Mart
Supermarkets and other supermarkets.
The processed package adds a price premium of five to 10%.
However, Mohanty believes that chemical additives can help abag degrade only when exposed to constant light and oxygen.
Buried in alandfill, it may not degrade.
Grid-like land in Portland, Oregon produces corn
Plastics made of lactic acid (PLA)
In a biodegradable bag within 120 days.
\"People are looking for green alternatives,\" said Chad Biasi, co-founder of TrellisEarth . \".
Although PLA can be used as an alternative to oil
Mohanty says the size of the United States is limited based on polyethylene bagsS. corn crops(
The ethanol industry is already under increasing pressure)
Can not meet the demand.
Market for biodegradable and renewable resources
Plastic products continue to grow.
South American companies are producing \"green\" polyethylene from sugar cane.
This process reduces greenhouse gas emissions, but the final product is not biodegradable.
Other researchers are working on wood waste, grass, wheat straw and rice straw as possible raw materials for the production of \"green\" plastics.
The disadvantage of these processes is the high cost.
\"The cornerstone of biotechnology success
\"Biodegradable-based packaging depends on the balance between ecology, economy and technology,\" Mohanty said . \".
Cobb did not believe it.
\"It\'s not the answer whether it\'s recycled or biodegradable bags,\" he said . \"\"We need tore-duce usage.
\"Reusable bags help to achieve this goal.
Some stores, including WholeFoods, now offer 5 to 10 cents credit for each reusable bag brought to store owners, as well as some stores (Ikea)
Has started charging customers the same fee for each plastic bag.
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