Are you in favor of paper bags instead of plastic bags?

I am in favor of using paper bags instead of plastic bags because we can recycle the paper. I don't think it means more trees are going to be cut. And if carrying groceries with paper is a trouble, why don't we just bring our own grocery bag or "bayong" like they use to in the old times :) -Save Earth-

I do understand the advantages and disadvantages of each side. If you wish for durability, a good quality plastic bag it would be. Plastic bags are not use if they easily break too. Now think of it this way, in our country, in order to produce more bags at the same time maintain the price, managers have to lower the quality of the material. Almost all businesses do this. But if one wants to help nature "in a way", it would be best to use the most natural. Though one needs to cut down trees (we know in order to prevent flood, Metro Manila needs a forest not just a bunch of trees) in order to do this--but one can take out that problem by planting more trees. This method is a kind of investment that if it works, it'll make things better--and not worse compared to the latter. Because if we continue to go down this path that we are used to taking, it would no longer surprise me if Philippines will go down the drain soon. Though my own suggestion, instead of using either of the two, in terms of buying dry goods, why not use those eco-bags? And use only th bio-bags (plastic) for goods carrying a wet good wrapped in a real plastic container. Instead of protesting or debating about it, why can't they think of things to fix that issue instead of passing it to those already "busy" leaders? Sometimes I think most people living in this country are stupid. Sorry, but that's what's going on in my opinion about my fellow countrymen right now.

I would much rather use reuseable bags. I always forget them though so never do use them, which is bad on my part. Though I use plstic instead of paper most of the time because I shop at walmart, and they don't have paper. Plastic is cheaper to make, and more durable in certain ways. Paper is durable too though. Either of those though, are bad for the environment. I work at a grocery store where one of my customers asks for paper INSIDE OF plastic, too be durable and keep wet things from leaking through the paper bags.

For me it is a problem too. I myself or we at the house does not just throw our plastic bags away. We collect them and use them as waste bags for trash inside the house. They are better than paper bags really because they are durable. Paper bags are not good too since they are not durable to use but very easy to dispose and burn. If you use washable cloth bags, I think it can be a lot better. I am not really sure maybe we should just be wise in using them and learn to recycle as much as possible.

I'm in favour of paper bags of course. If supermarkets use them because they are durable that is the very reason why they should not. They take years, maybe decades to break down and they are totally alien to nature. A Lotter from Malaysia wrote about a plastic bag free day being announced by the supermarkets and as a result people tended to stay away rather than bring their own shopping bags or accept paper ones. It may come as a surprise to young shoppers these days, but women used always to go shopping with their own shopping bags, and that is within living memory. In those days it was a case of buying less more often as supermarkets were still a novelty. After shopping bags we used large shopping bags on wheels so that we could shop once a week at the supermarkets. Then we started driving to the supermarkets and couldn't fit the 'shopping trolleys' into the boot -then the plastic bags arrived. I blame the supermarkets for encouraging the trade. In Greece plastic bags are everywhere, in the kitchen for disposal purposes, in the dumpers collecting household waste, in the streets and hanging from the trees even in the beaches after people have picniced and just left things around. I think plastic bags are the worst invention of the 20th centure.

I prefer the use of paper bags because it is environment friendly than plastic. The only problem in implementing it is that some business establishments use a very poor quality in producing paper bags, that is why most of the time before we reach our destination our paper bags are torn apart. Discipline is the virtue that everybody must possess in order to have a better environment. Proper waste disposal must be followed. In heavier loads plastic bag is more durable or sturdy. But when we are used of carrying our big bags going to supermarket or malls, I guess that would be better. :)

Although the paper bags seem to be much more environmental than the plastic bags. However, it will use up a lot of trees to make the paper bags. So it is not a very good solution yet. When I go out, I prefer to bring my own cloth bag so that I can do something better for our environment to save some paper or plastic bags. This is already my habit. I love China

I am not in favor of both plastic bags and paper bags. In Muntinlupa, where we usually grocery shop, we just have to bring our own eco bags. These bags can just be folded and can fit right into our pockets so whenever we go grocery shopping, no plastic or paper bag is wasted, eco bags can be used no matter how many times we want. So if I were to be asked, I don't want to use both. I prefer the eco bags. The big green bag.

I don't mind using paper bags or plastic bags, I like to recycle them at home as trash bags anyways so it doens't bother me.

There are many places where they only give plastic bags when you buy something in my country. I started to think about it and I remembered how things were done a long time ago. I made (and they were still in my house gathering dust) some canvas bags. You can put rocks inside and they won´t be torn. I washem and take them to the super. I also bought a bigger canvas bag with wheels (as if it was a suitcase) that I use when I go shopping to the nearest super (walking and saving energy) and bring too many things to carry. When I buy my meds, I take a handbag where I can put them with no extra plastics. Happy posting!

Neither. I would much rather everyone use their own re-usable bags because they are much better for the environment. My husband & I have started doing this & we are much better for it. If we were all to do this then the earth itself would be a much better, cleaner place to live.

I think both side has a point. Using a lot of plastic will eventually flood us due to some irresponsible people disposing their waste improperly. On the other hand, it is also true that we will have to cut many trees to produce paper bags. In a way, I'm in favor of using paper bags but maybe we should first rebuild our nature/forest. Let's start by planting and growing trees first, then maybe we'll be confident of producing papers cause we'll be having a replacement in time. In the case of plastic versus paper, some sort of a work around should be thought of. I suggest that for the mean time, a schedule for the week should be made on when to use plastic and paper. Let's say Monday to Friday for plastic while Saturday and Sunday will be for paperbags then we'll see if there'll be some improvement. We don't have a choice, something needs to be done for our environments sake. Everyone has to contribute, we're a team.

i use paper bags, because plastic bags can't be recycled when they are burned they produce many harmful substances that is spreading air pollution. Though paper is made from trees but those can be recycle again and agin there by we can protect our atmosphere too. People should think for the world as well rather than being selfish.

I'm on both sides of using plastic bags and paper bags. I refer to use plastic bag due to its durability, the thing is the proper disposal. I also refer paper bags but what will happen to our forest and mountains after years of using paper bags. It's still us who will suffer in the end. May I suggest to use a large bag made of buri palm leaves?

Resy, nowadays people in my country here had get used to accept paper bags. We are being educated as how important to have a cleaner environment. Whenever i go shopping, i always make sure that i bring along my recycle shopping bags. In case, i forgotten to bring along my shopping bags, then i need to pay if i want to use the plastic bags. Nowadays, i always prepared some shopping bags in my car. So, i don't have to carry any plastic bags back to my home. I tried to cut-down the plastic bags in my home by re-use them to throw away my unwanted rubbish. I tried my best to re-use and re-cycle almost everything in my home.

They are just looking on solution to problem at hand without analyzing the result and effect later. I think the government should implement a law on this (just as what is being done now in some cities) and impose it strictly and consistently. I would prefer paper over plastic but in cases where use of paper is not plausible then use bags made of cloth or other eco-friendly materials as replacements to plastic. Why? - plastic is one major cause of clogging on waterways as this won't just rot and could last for years.

I use neither! I'm a reusable bag kind of person. I even make my own shopping bags and the next thing I'm going to make it the produce bags for my fruits and vegetables. I do my best to save trees because they help us breath the clean air. U didn't say what kind of bags u prefer...reusable bags?!

i am highly in favour of paper bags because they are really a solution to pollution.do you know that plastic bags are the most majoursource of plastic pollution and are destroying our environments.on the other hand a paper is a bilogical compound that is envirronment friendly.