Paper or Plastic?

Let's talk about a necessary evil...the grocery store. I seem to be visiting it more and more often these days. Who knew my family could go through two gallons of milk in 45 minutes? Okay, it's not that bad, but I do find myself buying groceries more frequently than I'd like. And, with the shopping comes the terrible question: paper or plastic?

Well, they used to ask that question. One grocery store I shop at doesn't even have paper bags anymore. The other store doesn't ask what kind of bags you'd like, because you bag your own.

Here's some of what Wikipedia had to say about plastic shopping bags:

* Plastic bags are made from ethylene, a byproduct of natural gas. Chemists string together long chains of ethylene to form polyethylene. Less than 30% of ethylene is produced from naphtha, a byproduct of petroleum. As oil prices rise due to demand for gasoline, we are likely to produce more plastic bags from natural gas sources of ethylene.

* Plastic bags are flimsy and often do not stand up as well as paper or cloth.

* When disposed of improperly, they are unsightly and represent a hazard to wildlife.

* Plastic bags, conventional or "biodegradable", do not readily biodegrade in a sanitary landfill, though neither does paper due to lack of oxygen.

* Plastic bags (particularly thin dry cleaning bags) can cause unsupervised infants to suffocate.

Here's what I have to say about them:

They multiply in my cupboard. They rip when they have meat or frozen foods in them. They do make great wrappers for disposing of diapers. I hate when they blow away from somewhere and catch on trees.

I have purchased some reusable bags for the market. I put them in the back of my van so that they are always with me when I get groceries. The problem is that I never remember to take them into the store. Then I wander the aisles feeling really guilty that the reusable bags are in the car. Again.

On occasion, I do remember to take them into the store. And, I feel so proud of myself. They hold much more than those silly plastic baggies. They don't so easily allow for the squishing of my bread. Oh, yeah, and I am saving the environment . . . one reusable bag at a time.