Shopping bags, paper or plastic? It’s a question we probably ask ourselves every time we shop at the supermarket. Even some environmentalists are confused by the simple choice, as paper and plastic bags have their own pros and cons for their environmental impact.

“I usually use paper bags because they’re more environmentally friendly,” said one shopper in New York. Another shopper said: “I switch between plastic and paper, and today you just saw me using a plastic bag, which makes me feel guilty.”
But should consumers feel guilty about using plastic bags? “It depends on where you live,” said Alan of the Natural Resources Defense Council. Plastic bags threaten coastal life, so if you live near the sea, paper bags should be a better option. If you live inland, plastic bags are an option.

Experts say paper bags are made of wood and plastic bags are made of crude oil. To produce the shopping bags Americans use each year, manufacturers need to burn 14 million trees, or 12 million barrels of oil. Producing paper bags causes 70 percent more air pollution than producing plastic bags. But plastic bags do not degrade naturally once they are made, and they can last for hundreds, even thousands, of years.

Paper or plastic, the environmentalists’ message is the same: recycle them. They further point out that the best option, of course, is to use cloth bags and always bring your own.