There are no doubt that plastic waste can bring harm to humans, animals and mother Earth. However, if plastic products are already banned, do we have to cut more trees to make papers?
Last Friday as I went to our local grocery store, I saw that they are using plastic bags again for the things you bought. I know that they already limit the use of it in our city and there will only be some days that they can use plastic bags. Most of the days that I go there, they use paper bags which is sometimes inconvenient for me since I have to travel with my groceries. (no car) So, my produce and frozen meat can be a hassle since they can easily tear the paper bags. I do use eco bags, but of course, sometimes I forget them, especially when I had to do sudden grocery shopping.
I also notice that there is little amount of plastic cups, salad boxes and etc. They were already changed to paper cups, plates and salad boxes, which I find better in some ways. However, it can be a problem because as we know, papers are not that strong to hold water or other liquid products.
It is not a problem with me, though sometimes I also thought that, if they changed all the party needs, plastic bags, and other things to paper, wouldn’t it be more harmful to our nature. I know that banning of plastic products is to save mother Earth, and I am into it as well. But, I have this thought, do they have to cut more trees if the demand of papers go extremely high? or do they also recycle them? How is that?
Last time, I saw many marine animals getting caught or dying from plastic waste products which is horrible. As a human being, I am doing my best to help protect the nature, because if there is no nature, there will be no humans, too. It’s a life cycle. The pictures below show the harmful effects of plastic waste products.
Now, this is the debate that I have in mind. Do we ban all the plastic products and just cut trees to support the needs for paper products?
Or how do we maintain our forest, nature and mother Earth like this when we don’t use plastic products anymore?
My Journey 
wow… thought provoking post!
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Is it? Just saying what I thought. It’s just happening that sometimes you have to think of which one is much better.
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Yes…got me all thinking… 🙂
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Oh wow, I’m honored to get your interest in this post. Thank you!
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🙂
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This is like standing between the devil and the deep blue sea. Band plastic and use paper, but using paper means cutting down trees. Is there a solution to the problem? Or are we solving the wrong question paper all together?
Wonderful post! Have a great day!
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Thank you so much! I guess it’s choosing between a lesser evil, but as much as I see it, it’s kinda hard to choose.
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That’s true but there has to be a choice eventually!
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There will be, less harmful to nature but can keep up with modernization of the world.
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😊…Hope that day comes soon and if possible before Donald Trump makes America great again!😜😜
And maybe you can write that day a post titled “Plastic and Paper bags once upon a time!”
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Lol. That’s a good suggestion. I hope so, too. 😝
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😊…
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Ban*
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recycling could help to a great extent, however the point youve put is very strong. If we cut all trees it would eventually leave us with barren land and eco-systems would me tremendously shaken.
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It is. Recycling and proper handling of plastic waste should be regulated as well. That is just the thought I had since here in our city, there are only little use of plastic around.
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yes proper waste disposal is must. I am from India, and I cant even begin to tell you how badly we need this.
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I’m sorry to hear that. It’s just that sometimes nature is being held responsible for all the people’s destructive ways in proper disposal issues. There are lots of things that has to consider rather than fast implementation, like banning of plastics.
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The question you have raised need to be considered but I feel what is our contribution towards this matter is important .I personally say not to plastic or paper bags when I can carry few things in hand. Even if have a cloth bag , I prefer to put things together in that . I feel paper bags compared to plastic one have less hazardous effect on our environment. Moreover growing trees is a good solution to that…
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That’s a good point as well. Eco bags will be handy, too. I just had this thought when I was in the grocery store. Planting trees will be good as well, but they don’t grow faster than we cut trees.
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True, and I wouldnt hold nature responsible for it at all. It is just that nature is now showing its reaction to all the bad deeds we humans have been doing to her. We dont realise we need nature more than anything and not vice versa. But guess what even if one person from each home does his/her bit it should be more than enough.
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Totally agreed with you on that point. I can still remember that ad, we need mother nature more that she needs us. She can live without us, but not the other way around. Such nice realization there, thank you.
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Use and reuse, if possible,forever, anything that can be recycled. Paper bags are actually made from recycled paper, so they don’t actually have to cut down trees. It is 1 million times beneficial to ban plastic products because they harm the environment…. paper will degrade and go back to nature…. plastics wont.
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That’s true, too. Thank you for the additional info 😊☺️
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Wow, what a tough question! I know most grocery stores sell reusable/cloth bags but it’s so easy to forget to bring them when you need to make a quick run to the store. I wish there were a better way of disposing plastic bags because we seem to use those the most.
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It is sometimes like that, especially when I’m out with my friends and just needed to get something. I just hope that, too.
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Major eye opener! You did very wel! I am a cloth bag user. Some say they forget, yes at first I did. Eventually, I “trained” myself to return the bags back to my car. Very good post and it gets the gears going about what is possibly causing harm to this beautiful place we call earth 😁
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Lol, forgetfulness strikes.. or an excuse..either way. You see, I get a lot of things from you, where have you been? I miss you here 😊
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I have been out time management has taken over with school and work. However, I am back and ready to go! 😁
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I understand. But, happy your back. ☺️😊
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Thanks I’m happy to be back! I have more post coming very soon 😁
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Will be looking forward for those posts. Have a good day😊
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Same to you!
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😊thank you!
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Great post. Really thought provoking.
I was just wondering … Can’t these so called science poeple develop something new & safer?
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Thank you😊☺️. It would be better if that will be the case.
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Maybe the need is to solve the issue on priority: first reduce plastic usage so for a few years the trees will bear the brunt…then once the plastic usage has reduced, hopefully some new technology would have developed to save the trees.
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That’s a good idea as well. Proper regulation of waste are needed for better future. I like your idea ☺️😊
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Thank you for this thoughtful post. It seems the answer is to use recycled materials whenever possible: paper bags made out of recycled paper and of course reusable bags. I know a lady who makes strong reusable bags from the large heavy duty pet food bags. They last “forever.” You’ve just motivated me to bring my canvas and reusable bags with me more often.
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Wow, it’s my pleasure. Thank you. That’s a great idea as well, recycle and reuse for the better future. Here in our country, they are having some crafts using recycled materials as well.
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What’s exciting is that there is no limit to what we can make with recycled materials.
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Very true, sky is the limit.
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Hi my dear 🙂 How are you? I nominated you for Versatile Blogger Award 🙂 Have a great day ahead 🙂 Can’t wait for your response. You can check this out on my link.
https://joninmariegargoles.wordpress.com/2017/02/22/versatile-blogger-award-by-jonin-marie-gargoles/
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Thank you so much for the nomination 😊🎉☺️
Congratulations on the award, too.
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Interesting post and thoughts for sure. But which is more harmful or let’s say more convenient and beneficial in the long run? Even though paper mills cause pollution in the air, plastic can be a lot more harmful especially to not just mother nature, but animals. Plastic is not a renewable resource, trees are. I am going to have to say plastic is worse based on that trees are very much and one of the few actual renewable resource. We cut down a forest, it may take years sure but you can grow a forest all over again and again. It is also easier to recycle I believe.
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This is a wonderful idea as well. Sometimes it’s hard to choose, but to have the lesser evil. I agree that trees cn be planted back, but the damage of plastic can be horrible. Your ideas were good 😊☺️
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Thanks, so were yours! One thing is for sure we have to start taking better care of our environment and the earth, and it will take the collaboration of all humans. Unfortunately I think we will learn the hard way. 😦
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I agree. Mother Earth doesn’t need us, but we do. We should start caring for her or face the consequences.
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Tough one
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It is.
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I have worked in plastics for about ten years and people really don’t understand how much plastic is reused and how many times we are able to reprocess the plastic and form it into so many commercial products. The plastic that is used in vehicle production has a main ingredient of recycled carpet.
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That’s nice, we just needed to search and see which one will help our planet more. Thank you for your info 😊☺️
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I hate to see the way we are wantonly destroying the planet and all that live on it. To many people don’t care or don’t think it’s a bad thing.
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It is, and it is something that we have act to save our planet.
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Yes, we do and we need to do it fast, but I don’t see that happening under the current situation. We tend to wait until things reach the critical point before we act.
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That’s people, working when things get rougher and mostly nothing cn do about the problem.
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I know it seems like you have to keep working more and more, and don’t get anywhere for your efforts
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It is. There are some issues like that in our country, which leads to an argument,which is more important,mining industries or forest?
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I know, it is a no win situation. You need forests. It is a matter of survival for the species and for all life.
There are so few benefits from mining other than providing jobs, It is more convenient and cost effective to stay with the old existing technology. The mining companies do not want to see that, and the workers also are faced with their lively-hoods being affected. It is a very important issue, with no easy answers.
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I agree with you. People are having a hard time choosing between “to live or to save. They don’t see the lng term effect of these kinds of things to mother earth, and do we need money when our world is gone? No, right.
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My sentiments exactly, but most people don’t even think about the impact, even when they go about their daily lives. There’s a lot we could do, but don’t and I don’t think many people have the will. We are to spoiled and used to the way things are. Not many people are good at changing, but it is important and will catch up to us.
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I agree, most of us are so comfortable how life around us is, however, little do we know Earth is starting to make people know that she is actually being destroyed inside. I don’t know if people will learn if we’re already out of clean air and water.
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I have to shake my head sometimes, because a lot of people are oblivious to all of this. I don’t have much faith that they will wake up,in part because they are comfortable. They have to start to feel uncomfortable before they wake up, and take some steps to change the course we are headed.
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I know. I think that is how humans are, or some of us. I hope that it will not be too alte for us.
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we have potential, but our baser nature, always seems to overcome the humane one.. This could be a survival instinct from our earliest times, that has survived. I would have hoped we would have evolveed in the span of millions of years, to the point where we could contain those instincts.
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I totally agree. It maybe because of the need to survive, however, I think we should somehow be more compassionate in the world we are living in.
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I agree, we have the resources and the capability, but big business has a strangle hold on everything. They don’t care. They don’t see past the dollar and right now. They don’t care about the future.
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Right, it’s just like that. I am not a business person so I wouldn’t know how big that industry is, but I know how our world is starting to fall if not given proper laws.
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It’s really scary to think about. Especially of you have kids. I’m not in business either. I am barely making it, but business people have power over just about every aspect of government, especially now.
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I agree. They are into making money than saving the world. Who can blame them, though. I hope my future kids wouldn’t live in that kind of 🌏 in the near future.
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I don’t have any, but I sure don’t want to see the world get worse. I hope things can change around for the better, if enough people get angry.
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Aww.. imagine the worst gives me the chills.. I hope people will help for it to be better.
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I am seeing people get angry, so that gives me hope.
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It is. Really hoping for it 😊😊☺️
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Me too.
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I had to think a bit on this one. My conclusion is that using paper is better. It decomposes, unlike plastic. Plastic is forever. Yes we have to cut down trees, but we also can grow trees. Plastic is made in a very environmentally unfriendly way and like I said will never go away in our landfills. Although cutting down trees is not good either it is a renewable resource where as plastic is made out of no renewable resources.
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*plastic is made of nonrenewable (oops autocorrect)
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I like your ideas, too. It’s nice that people engage into this and say what they think which is better. I appreciate it so much! I also agree on your point on this. Every cut trees should be replaced by 100, do u agree?
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I loved this post of yours!
For me – NO to plastic, and NO to paper. I use canvas bags and small cotton bags…always stored in my car for any run to the market. I also avoid everything pre-packed and pre-bagged as much as possible. I am now slowly adjusting our family’s menu in an attempt to be more mindful of the amount of garbage production when shopping and preparing meals. It’s a challenge that I just started to explore unpretentiously in my latest posts in my blog:
https://itsthelittlethingsserodio.wordpress.com/2017/03/12/a-bit-more-butter-please/
https://itsthelittlethingsserodio.wordpress.com/2017/03/21/small-steps-forward-it-takes-courage/
It’s a hard to adapt and change our “consumer’s habit”… it takes time, and determination,and planning, and some courage some times. But it must be done 🙂
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I love your ideas as well. We do have those Eco bags, but sometimes, I do forget them when I do emergency shopping.
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