evaluate paper bags versus poly bags on the following parameteres strength, cost, reusability, impact on environment and pollution and then choose which of the following two could be better choice for fruit and vegetable
Answers
Answer:Many believe that paper bags are more environmentally friendly than plastic bags because they are made from a renewable resource, can biodegrade, and are recyclable. Fact: Plastic shopping bags outperform paper bags environmentally – on manufacturing, on reuse, and on solid waste volume and generation. Renewable, sustainably grown material
Plastic is made directly from fossil fuels, most definitely a nonrenewable resource. It is estimated that 4% of the world’s oil production is used as a feedstock to make plastics. We have therefore categorized plastic as “poor” when it comes to renewable, sustainably grown material. It is, however, important to understand that a lot of plastic, LDPE #4 or “plastic bags” in particular, is made from ethane, a byproduct of natural gas production. Ethane would be typically burned off to lower the BTU value of the gas so that it doesn’t burn too hot when used as fuel in our homes and businesses. The production of plastic in this way actually “captures” this ethane instead of having it burned and released into the atmosphere.
This is not to say that virgin plastic is amazing and we should all celebrate it as a green innovation! Simply that, as long as we are heating our homes and running our stoves with some degree of nonrenewable resources, such as natural gas, there are some efficiencies related to the raw materials extraction associated with plastic.
Paper is typically made from trees, though very occasionally (thus far, especially in the US) from materials like straw or hemp. Trees are a renewable resource, which is “good.” However, renewable isn’t a great thing if the paper is coming from global deforestation - one of the major contributors to climate change and loss of wildlife habitat. Every year, 13 million hectares of forest disappear (although afforestation adds another eight back), and the World Resources Institute (WRI) estimates that only about 22 percent of the world’s old growth forests remain intact.
Thankfully, paper manufactured in the US is typically not to blame for most of this. WRI estimates that agricultural expansion (i.e. the need to produce more and more palm oil) accounts for probably 80 percent or more of tropical deforestation. Most paper in the world comes “production forests” - fast growing wood growing operations with harvesting cycles of 5-10 years. At best, these production forests have a positive impact, as seedlings and growing trees capture carbon more effectively than the agricultural land these operations may have replaced. At a minimum, this production approach means wood products can be created without any need to log in old forests. Certifications such as Forest Stewardship Council help users seek out virgin paper made from trees that have been grown in positive ways. We have categorized paper as “moderate” for renewable, sustainably grown material because while wood for paper can be a net positive renewable resource, the logging and paper industry has not yet reached a point in which net positive, certified (such as FSC certified) tree forestry and logging is the standard.
Bioplastics are plastics made from plants, including corn, sugar cane and algae.In the US, Cargill’s NatureWorks is the largest producer of bioplastics and produces their material from corn. Corn kernels are processed and milled to extract the dextrose (a type of sugar) from their starch. Dextrose is fermented into lactic acid, and converted into lactide. The lactide is “polymerized” to make long-chain molecules of polylactide acid (PLA). PLA looks and behaves like polyethylene and polypropylene and is now widely used for food containers. Note that though there is a lot of talk recently about bio-plastics, the concept is not necessarily a new one. In fact, the world’s first plastics were plant based. “Cellophane,” once commonly used for food packaging until petrochemical plastics rose in popularity, is made from cellulose, the structural component of plants.
Explanation:
many Believe paper bags are better than plastic bags because it is made from renewable resource and or is right