The Linen Doctor

Are paper bags really better for the environment than plastic bags? Apparently, they’re both bad. Both can be made from recycled materials and are recyclable. It takes more water and energy tomake paper bags than plastic bags. Paper-bag production kills 14 million trees a year and creates more air and water pollutants than plastic-bag manufacture. The best thing you can do is use reusable cloth bags or totes instead.

And what about those plastic bags that keep our dry cleaning nice and fresh? The dry cleaner we use, Holiday Cleaners in San Francisco, now uses plastic bags that can be recycled. The New York Times now uses bags that clearly say, “This bag is recyclable.”

The infamous blue and white striped plastic shopping bags we use here at Scheuer Linens are 100% recyclable. Consumers shouldn’t stress too much, as long as they’re recycling or reusing store bags, whether by filling paper with newspapers for recycling or carrying their lunch in plastic, according to Chris Newman, an environmental scientist with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.