In modern day society, environmentally friendly choices is a major debate; one of these debates is whether paper bags are a better option compared to plastic bags. If plastic bags are better than paper bags (or vise versa) would differ for each community. In Prosper, Texas, there isn’t much of a difference between plastic and paper bags; however, plastic bags are a better option because they take less energy, they have a lighter environmental footstep, and they don’t emit air pollution. Plastic takes less energy to make in comparison to paper due to it being petroleum based. Although petroleum is a nonrenewable resource, it is a faster and easier product to make; this quick process allows for bags to be made in time with how rapidly they are used. With Prosper’s hasty growth comes the need for more stores to suit the needs of residents. Due to this, Prosper businesses have to constantly bring in more bags from Mckinney and Dallas. Even though “plastic is a petroleum product” (Source B) and “it accelerates the depletion of valuable fossil fuels” (Source B), these nonrenewable resources are used primarily for oils, natural gases, and coal; when this is taken into consideration, plastic bag production doesn’t use much of these resources. …show more content…
Plastic bags require “far less energy and take up less space in a landfill” (Source D), whereas paper bags take more energy to recycle and/or destroy. Plastic bags are also widely reusable, so not only will they be easier to recycle in a landfill, but in everyday life too. Due to there not being any landfills in Prosper, trash from this community go to McKinney and Melissa; regardless, pertaining to global warming, plastic bags are the better choice because they won’t negatively impact the environment as much as paper bags. These factors allow for plastic bags to have a lighter imprint than paper