Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Paper vs plastic bags


In Quezon City they recently implemented a regulation on the use of plastic bags at the checkout counter. Plastic is being blamed for most of the trash piling up and clogging the waterways causing more flooding and other problems. I wonder why they didn't make a move earlier.
Most supermarkets now mainly use paper bags and they have their own reusable fabric or vinyl bags for sale. I've been using reusable bags since 2 yrs ago, and its only now that I see that many people bringing their own bags when shopping. Still, its not enough, since I also see a lot of shoppers going home with too many paper bags in their cart. I just hope they're recycling them, or properly disposing them in segregated trash bins.
I'm more inclined to reuse paper than plastic for crafts, and can also think of more ways to recycle it at home.
I like the big paper bags which can be used to line the floor of the car, to catch dirt and absorb moisture especially during rainy season. It can also be used to line a doormat, to make clean-up easier. In the same way, you may use the paper to line drawers and cupboards. Or, use it as a placemat when eating. For crafting it can be used for paper mache, origami, pattern-making, drawing and coloring pictures, box filler, gift-wrapper, and more.

4 comments:

  1. Around here most markets do not even carry paper bags anymore. I did like one though that gave you money off your bill for every reusable bag you used that day!

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  2. We could also use that kind of incentive here! Thanks for stopping by Criossa :)

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  3. We don't have paper bags anymore either. You used to be able to choose, "Paper or Plastic?". And you could get 5 cents for bringing your bags back in to re-use. Now there's only plastic, and there's a recycle bin to bring in all your old plastic bags. I haven't seen any bins in any of the regular grocery stores, just in Walmart. (And I try not to go in there too much, only if I "have" to.)

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  4. I guess that would also happen here, Tina...they'd go back to using plastic at the counter. I can't imagine how they can sustain using paper bags that much. But I'm also hopeful that many more shoppers will get into the habit of bringing their own reusable bags.
    We also have "Walmart" kind of stores here and its called SM Malls/supermarket/department stores and I also try not to go there, but sometimes I have to :p

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