In continuation to the post on Friday.

Plastic bags cost 1 to 2 cents per bag in the United States.  Paper bags cost 6 to 8 cents per bag.  Compostable plastic bags cost more than paper bags.  There are still no compostable plastic bags available commercially. 

Plastic grocery bags are 100 percent recyclable.  Many stores (especially grocery types) have receptacles to drop unwanted bags into.  Plastic bags can be made into other products such as decks and piers.  Reusing or recycling one ton of plastic bags will save the equivalent of 11 barrels or 462 gallons of oil.  Additionally, plastic bags consume less than 4 percent of the water that is needed to make paper bags.  It takes 91 percent less energy to recycle a pound of plastic than recycling a pound of paper.  Plastic grocery bags make up less than .5 percent of the United States Municipal Waste stream.

I always thought paper was better for the environment than plastic was.  Now after this research, my mind has changed.  The moral of the story is….plastic bags are a great option for Americans to use, especially if we all choose to recycle them   So in honor of Earth Day, let’s all commit to recycle those bags!  Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.  The three new “R’s” that everyone should be following.