Grocery bags

Which type of bag is most sustainable?

a) a one use paper bag
b) a one use plastic bag
c) a reusable tote bag made from cotton
d) a reusable tote bag made from recycled plastic

Source: Life Cycle Assessment for Three Types of Grocery Bags - Recyclable Plastic; Compostable, Biodegradable Plastic; and Recycled, Recyclable Paper, Prepared for the Progressive Bag Alliance by Chet Chaffee and Bernard R. Yaros; Boustead Consulting & Associates  Ltd., 2007. 

 

Probably, after looking at the graphic above, we would say that we prefer the reusable cotton bag, however:

• cotton-farming process is extremely fossil-fuel-intensive
• conventionally grown cotton uses more insecticides than any other single crop (according to the Pesticide Action Network of North America)
• most cotton bags are woven in developing countries where labor conditions are controversial.

Therefore.. probably the best option would be:

d) a reusable tote bag made from recycled plastic

Source: Paper, Plastic, or Cotton Tote Bag? What Life Cycle Assessments. Tell Us About the Sustainability of Everyday Items. David Tyler, Department of Chemistry, University of Oregon (3/21/2013)
http://rubiconsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Paper-Plastic-or-Cotton-Tote-Taylor-March-21-2013.pdf


However the best option would probably be the cotton bag if it was made from sustainable cotton like the textiles from DEM COLLECTIVE, a really interesting Swedish textile Brand.