Going to the grocery store is a part of most everyone’s weekly routine, if not more often. Many people use reusable grocery bags and others use plastic bags. Which is better for the environment?
Plastic bags are made from petroleum, which is a non-renewable resource. It takes hundreds of years for plastic to biodegrade, and even then it does not completely break down but breaks into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics. These microplastics are in our soil and waterways, which is harmful to wildlife.
On the other hand, reusable bags may be made from plastics but they are much thicker than plastic grocery bags and can typically be used hundreds of times before they need to be replaced.
If you take care of your reusable bag by washing it occasionally, it can last years or even decades! Reusable bags are also made from a variety of materials such as canvas (from cotton plants), jute (from vegetable fibers), polypropylene (from natural gas), and recycled materials like post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) water bottles.
That means that instead of using fossil fuels like oil, reusable bags are made from renewable resources like cotton plants or used plastic bottles that would otherwise go to waste in landfills!
All in all, the answer to which one is better totally depends on your preferences. If you think you are not a person who can keep using the same bag for years then plastic bags might suit you better. However, if you’re concerned about the environment then reusable bags are a better choice.