People are always looking for ways to be more environmentally friendly, and switching out plastic bags for paper bags is one way to accomplish that goal.

1. Paper bags are more environmentally friendly than plastic.

First of all, the paper does not require any petroleum products or natural gas to make; it’s made from trees, which come from nature. Kraft paper bags wholesale are more environmentally friendly than plastic because the paper decomposes quickly, taking up less space in landfills.

Plastic is made from petroleum and natural gas—two nonrenewable resources that take thousands of years to form naturally. They also take a lot of energy to produce and release harmful chemicals during production. That’s not to say that all plastics are bad because many products made from plastic help us in our everyday lives. However, paper is much easier on the environment than plastic bags. Paper can be recycled endlessly without losing any quality or strength, while plastic bags cannot.

2. You can reuse paper bags for other purposes, like lining the trash can or carrying groceries.

Another great thing about paper bags is that they can be reused. People who bring their containers to the grocery store and then use them again to line trash cans at home may already consider this, but you could also put your uneaten produce in a paper bag instead of using plastic produce bags. The same goes for carrying groceries: if you don’t have reusable totes or backpacks, pack everything in a paper bag instead.

3. Paper is cheaper than plastic and doesn’t cost anything to produce.

Next time you’re getting ready to go shopping or buying a paper rope bag for your business and trying to figure out which type of bag you should get, opt for the paper rather than the plastic kind—you’ll save money and help the environment while doing it. It’s cheaper to produce paper bags than plastic, so you save cash while also doing your part for the environment. Paper is renewable and doesn’t cost anything to produce, while plastics must be mined from oil or natural gas before being turned into products.

4. Plastic often breaks down into microplastics that pollute the environment and waterways.

Plastics are notorious for breaking down into harmful microplastics in our waterways after being washed off of sidewalks during rainstorms, ultimately polluting oceans and causing health problems for all kinds of sea life that may mistake it for food. On top of that, most single-use plastic bags are not biodegradable—instead of decomposing as paper does, they break down into smaller and smaller pieces until they become microplastics. These small bits of plastic can be ingested by marine animals, as well as the fish that humans may eventually eat.

5. Paper bags take up a lot less space in landfills while paper decomposes quickly, taking up less space.

Suppose you’re focusing on being more environmentally friendly. In that case, it’s important to consider your carbon footprint—or how many resources went into making the items you buy and use every day. All of those little things (like using reusable grocery sacks or choosing paper over plastic) make a big difference when multiplied across all of Earth’s seven billion-plus people. Another great thing about paper is that it takes up much less space than plastics do in landfills, which is helpful if you’re trying to be more environmentally conscious.

Top paper bag manufacturers ensure that their products are much more environment-friendly than plastic bags, not just because they break down faster into less harmful pieces but also because they take up less space in landfills. We all know that the world’s resources are limited, so it makes sense to use them cautiously. Paper bags are cheaper and don’t require any energy or special resources to produce, so taking them with you on shopping trips instead of plastic bags is a great way to reduce your environmental impact.

James Montano