In Conclusion.....(although the issue is not over yet)

Going to the food store and buying some milk would seem, to the untrained eye, a simple enough task; the aisles are organized by product, bags for your purchase are supplied, so all you really need to do is pay. There is something changing about grocery stores in the past half decade or so: reusable bags have been being sold at the checkout counters. No, this isn’t some sneaky way to get consumers to pay for colorful bags instead of using the free ones handed out; it’s a stab at an environmental problem that not enough people are taking action on. When asked to choose “paper or plastic”, the cashier is asking a trick question, for the right answer is “neither”. While the majority of shoppers continue to believe that paper bags are the more environmentally friendly choice to choosing plastic, they too are mistaken; not only do paper bags take more energy to make, but they also take up approximately five times more landfill space. This is no excuse to merely use plastic bags, however. The rising problem of plastic harming our world is shown on just about every beach and ocean in the world. Even when thrown away, plastic bags are so light that it is easy for them to just blow into the oceans or other areas where they then harm and endanger animals. Plastic not only chokes said animals, but it also begins to break down inside their stomachs, causing the harmful chemicals used to make the bags to enter their digestive tract. This same reaction occurs when plastic ends up in the oceans and is not eaten right away; as the bag biodegrades, these same chemicals are released into the ocean where marine animals then swallow or breathe them in. While at the beach, it may not appear that there are many of these dangerous and deathly bags lying around; in fact, it may seem like this is an overreaction. Proof of just how many bags end up in the oceans is shown in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (that’s right, it even has its own name), which is approximately the size of Texas, containing 3.5 million tons of trash. Its main contributor? Plastic bags that are either not properly disposed of, or are blown out of trash cans and into harm’s way. With all these reasons against plastic bags, it may seem almost impossible for stores to continue using them today. Evidence of the harms of plastic bags are shown in some areas of the world where plastic bag bans have been put into act. This means that shoppers must bring their own reusable bags when they shop. These bans are a great way to act locally and force citizens to look at how harmful we are to our own home. While the use of paper and plastic bags will never be entirely gone, it is important to note the incredible harmful impact these simple, everyday products have on our lives. Alternatives are staring consumers right in the face: reusable bags are currently sold at just about every food store, are cheap, and help the environment in an unprecedented number of ways. All together now….“Paper or Plastic?” “NEITHER!”