I don’t really know whether paper or plastic is objectively better; I’ll leave that to more capable geeks. But I will say this: I’m almost certain that the issue gets far more attention than it really merits.
What you put in your grocery bags probably makes a bigger difference than what kind of bag you choose. So does how you get to and from the store. But somehow, time and time again, it’s the bag that gets the headlines.
What gives?
I think that the durability of the paper-vs-plastic “debate” may be traced to a common—but fundamentally misguided—idea about sustainability: that it’s all about personal choices. That is, the key to living lightly on the planet is for all of us to do our homework, and to consistently make choices that reflect our values.
This isn’t a completely ridiculous point of view; individual choices certainly do matter. If everyone makes the “right” choice about grocery bags, it could certainly make a bit of difference in the long run.
But the paper-vs.-plastic debate exemplifies why the “personal choices” frame can be a harmful one. You see, it’s actually quite difficult to decide whether paper or plastic is the better choice. It depends in part on your values: do you see paper as a renewable resource, or a bad use of forests? But it also depends on factors that the average consumer just isn’t equipped to judge.
For example, one of the major raps against plastic bags is that they clog up recycling equipment—but not one in a hundred consumers is likely to know that. Nor are most consumers likely to know the relative likelihood that they’ll actually reuse a paper vs. a plastic bag, nor the energy intensity of recycling and manufacturing for each type of bag. Expecting each consumer to make an informed choice places a terrible burden on people’s time and attention—which, in turn, can make people less attentive to truly important issues.
Just to be clear, I’m not arguing here that benign technocrats ought to figure out every issue for the unenlightened masses. But the difficulty in figuring out the answers to even low-priority issues suggests this: as advocates for a more sustainable place, we ought to be focusing people’s attention on the things that really matter to our future. And in my view, despite the hoopla, paper vs. plastic just doesn’t make the cut.
Paul
Clark – Hear, hear! You’ve touched on the elephant in the sustainability strategies room. There is no question that individual choices have to be an integral part of our shift to a sustainable economy. But we seldom realize that the corporate interests press to make us believe that individual choices are the ONLY way to make the shift. We are actively discouraged from discussing collective actions (legislation and regulation) that will advance us at least as far and as rapidly as individual actions. We need “take back” laws on packaging, electronics, and applicances. We need serious CAFE standards. We need tax arrangements that reflect the true cost to society of supporting a company’s operations. “Paper or plastic” is Potemkin empowerment for Potemkin villagers. Let’s recognize it and really flex our muscle.Paul Birkeland
raokamala
Let’s forget the whole paper vs. plastic argument and just use reusable cloth bags and be done with it. Best way to encourage this: charge a $0.25-1 environmental tax for each bag. The big challenge we have had lately is trying not to produce any trash while the City of Vancouver (BC) is on strike, because there is currently no trash service. My husband and I have not been buying anything that comes in packaging. We have been bringing our own grocery bags along with an arsenal of tupperware and ziplock bags (which we wash and re-use) to buy bulk foods. We can still buy fruits and vegetables, but just don’t put them in a plastic bag (we didn’t do this before anyway), and we buy bread, meat and chees from bakeries and delis and ask them to put it in our own bags or tupperware. Everyone one should try this at least if only to discover how limited we are in North America when it comes to buying food that is not covered in plastic and cardboard. But we’ve also discovered some great new foods. It hasn’t been easy, but we’ve discovered it’s totally possible. I was even able to find organic olive oil on tap – thankfully, because I can’t live without the stuff!
chad
We are so into the petroleum. Our societies are designed around non-renewable resources. The paper -vs.- plastic debate is flat out wrong when it does not include bioplastics. Plastic should have never entered our environment as it is toxic and full of heavy metals, as such why would you want to “reuse” toxic materials? Is it because we didn’t get cancer the first time?? Corporations wrote our laws in N. America. Change will take place on an individual level long before corporations and governments. So what is the true cost of that gasoline (how many lives) you put in your car to drive to the grocery store and employ your plastic from home. Almost every piece of plastic ever made still exists today (especailly tupperware) – Traditional plastic consumes 65% more energy to produce than bioplastics – Paper uses lots of fresh water during production and creates 68% more green house gasses than bioplastic. So, “the key to living lightly on the planet is for all of us to DO OUR HOMEWORK, and to consistently make choices that reflect our values”.
Anonymous
Hi Clark,I know that this will be a little bit off the track here, but I am also concerned about what goes into the bag. My local QFC in Ballard, which I really like, is like most corporate grocery stores (QFC is owned by Kroger). What is in the bag is all about corporate foods. And, based on what I read and observe, those producers are far more interested in the bottom line than the nutritional value of the food products they produce. I am also concerned about the tremendous amount of resources dedicated to the packaging and shipping of our corporate food.Yes, I have been to the farmers markets, but I come away feeling like I have been financially gouged, especially at the organic booths. And I have also been to PCC and Whole Foods. They leave me feeling pretty much the same.So I have committed myself to an experiment. I have been living in Hanoi, Taipei and Phnom Penh (with most of my time in Hanoi) during the last 3 ½ months. I have noticed several things (this list is not scientific proof, merely anecdotes and personal observations).* The food at the local street markets is pretty much all produced locally. Yes, there are corporate foods, most of them small local corporations. Coca Cola, Pepsi, KFC and McDonalds have their presence in some or all of the 3 countries.* There is less processed food in Asia.* The food here is fresher, riper and tastier than anything I have experienced in the US. Vegetables and fruits like you would not believe. Furthermore, it is much less expensive than the US. Even the meat is fresher and tastier than the US. And I have fallen in love with tofu and soy products. They are so much better here. I eat very little meat. I eat some seafood.* Compared to the US, there are not very much refrigerated and frozen foods for sale.* Even Coke and Pepsi use sugar as a sweetener here. I have not seen high fructose corn syrup in use.* Portions at restaurants are smaller here than in the US. * I continue to keep losing weight here. I eat Asian food prepared by myself and locals.* I live in a house and use fans, not a/c. It took a while to get used to it, but I did.* I see VN kids who are fat. I also see the same kids eating lots of Western food which is available here.* The vegetables here (when cooked) are usually stir-fried. I see very little deep frying here.* There is a dessert known as sweet soup. It is usually several sweetened vegetables in a bowl or a glass with shaved ice on top. It is very good. My favorite is the Keelung City Temple Night Market in Taiwan. Sweetened taro, sweet potato, red bean & oatmeal with shaved iced and cane sugar juice on top. Wonderful and much healthier than most American desserts.I am convinced by my experience in Asia that the American grocery/food experience needs help. Lots of help.I do have my beefs with Asia and the culture. Nonetheless, I will be moving here at the end of the year. I like it better here. I like the slower pace. I like the healthier food. I like the healthier cooking. It is a simpler way of life. More community life.Thanks for letting me go off-subject.-Jerry
Jonathan Shakes
I’d love to see an illustration from one of the data geeks just why the bag contents matter more than the bag itself. For example, how many plastic-bags-worth of (insert undesirable concept here) are saved when one buys 1000 calories’ worth of locally grown organic food, vs when one buys the same amount of big-brand processed food?