"V-for-Vendicar" wrote in message
news

"Jeff Strickland" wrote
Back then, the problem was paper bags eating up trees at an alarming
rate, so they came up with plastic bags because of ENVIRONMENTAL
concerns -- paper eats trees, eating trees is bad for the environment,
so let's use plastic and save the trees. Not a bad argument as arguments
go, and I generally answered the question, "paper or plastic?" with,
"plastic, please."

Virtually all of my groceries come home in cloth (probably hemp) bags, and
have done for the last 15 years. Same bags every time.

They are great because they clasp shut and can be carried on the sholder.
They are the perfect size, capable of holding about 20 lbs each -
extremely strong, durable, washable, and usable for a variety of other
purposes. Unfortunately they have become worn and I can't find similar
replacements.

A few days ago I picked up a reusable tarp like plastic bag. Inferior but
still reusable and made from 100% recycled materials.

Bag cost me a buck.



That's great. I can see this -- canvas bags -- happening at my house soon
as well.

The point I was making though is the unintended consequence of Paper or
Plastic. Paper takes trees, and this is an environmental concern and the
customary way to get groceries home for more than half of my life, and all
of my grand parent's lives. We recognize one environmental problem, and
remedy it by going to a different material at the checkstand. The remedy has
an unintended consequence that is just now being recognized, 20-ish years
later.