by 
The Curious Bag
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Grocers have long asked the question "paper or plastic," but only in the past few years has the environmental impact of each type been examined. Both require great amounts of energy to produce and recycle. Although it is debatable, paper is commonly viewed as the more environmentally friendly option.
Energy
Paper bags are made from trees, a renewable resource. The production of plastic bags takes oil, a non-renewable resource, and lots of it. Approximately 1.6 billion gallons of oil are used each year on plastic bags.
Recycling
More paper bags end up in recycling bins. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, only an estimated 5.2 percent of plastic bags in 2005 were recycled, compared to 21 percent of paper bags.
Decomposition
Paper bags take approximately one month to decompose and can be mixed into your compost pile. Plastic bags take as many as 1,000 years to decompose.
Marine Life
Paper bags do not pose a threat to animals like plastic. If digested, plastic bags can block the stomach and cause starvation. Thousands of marine animals die from this each year.
Paper or Paper?
Paper bags may be your only option in many countries and some municipalities in the United States, where plastic bags have been banned or considerably taxed.
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