The ever-growing use of plastic bags in daily life has led to environmental degradation. This has made many people believe that there must be other alternatives to plastic bags, and some are suggesting replacing them with paper or cotton bags. Personally, while I agree that other options such as paper or cotton can be used to diminish the negative effects that plastic has on the environment, I opine that it cannot be replaced completely.
To begin with, plastic carriers take a heavy toll on the environment, and therefore the use of it needs to be minimized. Plastic bags are made of high-density polyethylene (HPDE), whose manufacturing process produces a high amount of air pollution. It has been estimated that one single plastic bag contributes up to 1. 6kg of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Moreover, since HDPE bags are heat-resistant and insoluble, it would take centuries for these bags to decompose. Nonetheless, superseding the use of plastic bags is still considered implausible since a quintessential replacement is yet to be found.
While paper and cotton bags do have some advantages over plastic when it comes to degradability and recyclability, there still exist many merits of plastic bags that make them indispensable. As surprising as it may sound, paper is responsible for 70 times more air pollution and 50 times more water pollution than plastic bag production according to a Washington Post analysis. Regarding cotton bags, it has been pointed out that producing one cotton tote can release approximately 272kg of carbon dioxide, contributing much more to global warming than a plastic bag does. Additionally, in order to equal the low global warming effect of plastic bags, paper and cotton bags need to be reused. However, it is unlikely that these two can be used as many times as plastic, making either of them a more environmentally friendly choice than plastic bags.
In summary, it appears that plastic bags, though having an adverse impact on the environment, cannot be substituted by paper or cotton bags as both can be much worse when taken into close consideration. Instead, I believe the use of plastic bags are to be reduced as much as possible, and humans must find a superior solution to this problem soon enough.
The ever-growing
use
of
plastic
bags
in daily life has led to environmental degradation. This has made
many
people
believe that there
must
be other alternatives to
plastic
bags
, and
some
are suggesting replacing them with paper or cotton
bags
.
Personally
, while I
agree
that other options such as paper or cotton can be
used
to diminish the
negative
effects that
plastic
has on the environment, I opine that it cannot
be replaced
completely.
To
begin
with,
plastic
carriers take a heavy toll on the environment, and
therefore
the
use
of it needs to
be minimized
.
Plastic
bags
are made
of high-density polyethylene (
HPDE
), whose manufacturing process produces a high amount of air pollution. It has
been estimated
that one single
plastic
bag
contributes up to 1.
6kg
of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
Moreover
, since
HDPE
bags
are heat-resistant and insoluble, it would take centuries for these
bags
to decompose. Nonetheless, superseding the
use
of
plastic
bags
is
still
considered implausible since a quintessential replacement is
yet
to
be found
.
While paper and cotton
bags
do have
some
advantages over
plastic
when it
comes
to
degradability
and
recyclability
, there
still
exist
many
merits of
plastic
bags
that
make
them indispensable. As surprising as it may sound, paper is responsible for 70 times more air pollution and 50 times more water pollution than
plastic
bag
production according to a Washington Post analysis. Regarding cotton
bags
, it has
been pointed
out that producing one cotton tote can release approximately
272kg
of carbon dioxide, contributing much more to global warming than a
plastic
bag
does.
Additionally
, in order to equal the low global warming effect of
plastic
bags
, paper and cotton
bags
need to
be reused
.
However
, it is unlikely that these two can be
used
as
many
times as
plastic
, making either of them a more
environmentally
friendly choice than
plastic
bags.
In summary, it appears that
plastic
bags
, though having an adverse impact on the environment, cannot
be substituted
by paper or cotton
bags
as both can be much worse when taken into close consideration.
Instead
, I believe the
use
of
plastic
bags
are to be
reduced
as much as possible, and humans
must
find a superior solution to this problem
soon
enough
.