PLASTIC NOT PAPER Essay Example For Students

PLASTIC NOT PAPER Essay Walking through the grocery store I always try to look for the best buy. I always buy whats on sale, I guess you could say Im cheep. Then I get to thecheck out lane, preferably the one with fewer people. I empty my wallet and pay. Then I wait. I think its going to happen but I am not sure. Then it does,the baggier says, Would you like paper or plastic? I look that person rightin the eye and I tell him, I want the one thats better for the environment, Iwant the one that will help prevent pollution, I want the one that cost less, Iwant plastic. Plastic bags save money, they conserve energy, they arepractical and they are better for the environment. Thats why plastic bags arethe best choice at the check out line. Of course your wondering how plastic bagssave money, well just think 2,000 paper bags stacked on each other reaches aheight of about 7.25 inches, while paper reaches a soaring height of 7.5 feet. This means it takes seven trucks to deliver the same amount of paper as oneplastic delivering truck. Talk about a big waste of gas. Plastic bags costabout of a cent to make, while paper cost close to 3 cents. This is money wesave as well as the store owner.This is a lot of money that is going towaste considering that plastic bags are so much more practical then paper. Youcan use them for lots of other things. You can take on trips to the grocerystore, your can protect dry clothing from wet towels in an exercise bag. Youcan line your house hold waste basket with them, you tote dry shoes to work onrainy days. Hold plastic, aluminum and glass for recycling. Plastic bags arealso very practical to carry. You can carry 5 compared with 2 paper bags. Plastic bags also hold just as many items as paper. This is also very practicalbecause you can get your groceries out of your car a lot faster, after allgrocery shopping is not the most fun thing to do. A study by FranklinAssociates LTD analyzed the environmental impacts of plastic and unbleachedpaper bag through out there life cycles. They found that plastic grocery bagsconserve 40% less energy, 80% less solid waste,70% less atmospheric emissions,and release up to 95% fewer water born wastes. All these things are naturalresources that we have to cons erve and cant afford to lose. The brown paperbags used in most grocery stores are made from virgin paper without anycontributions from recycled materials. Paper making pollutes the water,releases dioxins, contributing to acid rain and cost trees lives. Weird as itmay sound some virgin paper can be more damaging to wildlife than plasticsubstances, like 6pack rings. If you choose paper over plastic you aresupporting higher levels of pollution. The choice of plastic over paper doesntseem to be that big of a decision, but as you now know it does effect theenvironment. If you dont care about the environment then use the plastic bagsfor there great other practical uses. So the next time you are at the check outlane and you get asked the question, say plastic with pride.