Paper or Plastic? Make an Informed Decision

The question of 'paper versus plastic' is so much more significant than a choice of which shopping bag to bring your groceries home from Woolworths in. Because of the way we have disrespected the environment over the last century or so, we are now faced with a very real threat to our planet and even our future existence. This means that the decisions we make have to factor in sustainability and our eco-footprint far more than any other element, because these, by far, will have the greatest consequences. While it is easy to follow the maxim that paper=eco friendly while plastic=evil, there is actually a bit more to the story than that, so it is important to look at the situation holistically rather than choose based on pop-culture sustainability theories.

Pros of Paper

Paper is 100% biodegradable which means that it can be used, then used again, then re-introduced into the earth, making it a very sustainable option in terms of raw materials. Because of the sophisticated recycling systems that many councils have established, there is also a lot of ways in which you can reduce your footprint by recycling the paper we do use.

Cons of Paper

If we're just looking at the raw materials, there's no question that paper is better for the environment. As we know, however, sustainability is as much about the way things are produced as it is about the materials and their disposal. Paper obviously comes from trees, which is not ideal in terms of sustaining natural resources, and the energy costs of producing paper are more than plastic.

Pros of Plastic

Firstly, there are the lower energy costs involved with its production, but there is also the common misconception that plastic is a strictly 'one use' material. There are actually lots of recycling options for plastic, such as moulding it down and turning it into useful and long-lasting products such as park benches and automotive materials.

Cons of Plastic

When all is said and done, it is very difficult to ignore the biggest con about plastic, which is that it simply does not biodegrade.plastic bags are responsible for a large portion of the world's landfill, as they cannot be recycled and take about 500-1000 years to degrade. Plastic is also manufactured using natural gas, a non-renewable resource, which means more depletion of the earth in an unsustainable way.

What to Use for Your Business Needs

Firstly, the questions you need to ask yourself in relation to what you should choose for use in your business are things like how many bags will you be going through? What will create a better public opinion? Are there alternatives in terms of compost-able or degradable plastic bags that you can use? Will paper bags end up creating more waste or be impractical for their purposes? Perhaps you want to abandon the paper/plastic debate and go for an eco-product that is sturdy and durable?