Let’s do a little myth-busting this morning, inspired by an insightful comment by “lady clay” in our “Whole Foods Does Away with Plastic Grocery Bags” posting.

Like many people, I assumed that plastic grocery bags were much more harmful to the environment than paper ones.  Well, you know what they say about assuming…

After reading lady clay’s comment about paper bags being just as harmful as plastic, I did a little internet sleuthing (a.k.a. typing it into Google) and discovered a plethora of data that supported her assertion.

Here’s the lowdown: While paper can be added to compost (unlike plastic), it requires a lot more energy to produce since it needs to be harvested from trees and it takes up a lot more space in our landfills.  This article from the Environmental Literacy Council sums it up nicely.

So, don’t be like me and assume that paper bags are any better for the environment than plastic.  Buy a few reusable bags and if any baggers give you a nasty look, just grin and bear it for a good cause.