1. Why did we switch from plastic bags to paper bags?
Plastic bags have helped us with containing and transporting goods easily and conveniently in our daily lives. So, many people used plastic bags, which resulted in environmental pollution caused by plastic. In particular, plastic bags take more than 500 years to decompose in nature. However, even if plastic bags break down 500 years later, environmental pollution occurs because they emit toxicity (Gounder, 2021). However, paper is considered to be beneficial to the environment because it takes a short time to decompose and can be reused over and over again, so the use of paper bags has increased.
2. How are paper bags produced?
Paper bags are produced in different ways depending on the application. First, Kraft paper is a paper bag made by converting wood into wood pulp by adding chemicals during production to facilitate decomposition and recycling (Ho, 2019). Second, sack paper is a paper bag made by adding chemicals to withstand strong heat and elasticity.
3. Does the use of paper bags really solve the plastic pollution problem?
We think paper bags are more eco-friendly than plastic bags. In particular, paper is reusable and does not emit toxic substances, so it does not cause environmental pollution. However, as opposed to plastic bags, paper bags are complicated and require a lot of energy to produce. In addition, chemicals are added during this process, which cause higher levels of environmental pollution in the air, water quality, etc. than plastic bags (Lober, 2018).
4. What else can we use if not plastic or paper?
First, to prevent environmental pollution, we should use multiple-use bags, such as cloth and non-woven fabric, not one-time-use ones. In addition, since cloth bags are durable, they have the advantage of being used for a long time. The second is hemp bags made of plants. Since hemp is resistant to pests, it is an eco-friendly plant that does not use pesticides and is grown. Also, because of its strong strength, it can be used for a long time, and the use of hemp bags can help with environmental pollution problems (Weiss, 2018).
5. Conclusion
Many people use paper bags since we think paper bags are more environmentally friendly than plastic bags. In particular, paper bags are reusable and decompose at a faster speed, so they do not harm the environment. However, paper bags also utilize chemicals during production and require a lot of energy to produce, which causes more environmental pollution problems than plastic bags do. Therefore, we should reduce the problem of environmental pollution by using things that do not cause environmental pollution.
6. References
– Gounder, S. (2021). How Long Does It Take For Plastic To Decompose? [online] etsus.co. Available at: https://etsus.co/how-long-does-it-take-for-plastic-to-decompose/ [Accessed 26 August 2022].
– Ho, G. (2019). Kraft Paper Bags: Everything You Need to Know. [online] LeKAC. Available at: https://lekac.com/products/kraft-paper-bags-everything-you-need-to-know#:~:text=Standard%20brown%20paper%20bags%20are [Accessed 26 August 2022].
– Lober, D. (2018). The Truth About Paper Bags. [online] ReuseThisBag.com. Available at: https://www.reusethisbag.com/articles/the-truth-about-paper-bags [Accessed 26 August 2022].
– Weiss, D. (2018). 4 types of reusable shopping bags that are eco-friendly. [online] isellpackaging.com. Available at: https://isellpackaging.com/4-types-of-reusable-shopping-bags-that-are-eco-friendly/ [Accessed 26 August 2022].
