Plastic bags are everywhere and have been used since the 70′s when they were introduced. They are very useful and have become part of everyday life because we get them from the supermarket to help carry our groceries, the stores in the malls to place our purchases in, or wherever we spend money at to help us carry our stuff. But these bags, when not properly recycled, can have damaging effects on the environment. Approximately 100 billion plastic bags are used in the U.S. alone every year and only a small percent of the bags get recycled. These bags can cause flooding by blocking and clogging sewer grates and gutters, kill animals because they become entangled in the bags or mistake them for food and in the process of making the bags, they emit greenhouse gases and pollution. They even make up most of the litter in the ocean, around 60 to 80 percent according to the California Coastal Commission.

Paper is not that much better either. While paper bags are easier to recycle, it takes more energy to produce them and they are made heavier than plastic bags so it takes more energy in transporting them. But on the contrary, paper con decompose faster in the environment. Paper can decompose in one month while it takes plastic 1,000 years.

But ultimately, our best option to alleviate the problem is to start using canvas or other reusable containers, and recycle the plastic and paper bags you already have accumulated. Because when you recycle, it keeps trash out of the environment and the landfills and creates resources to make new things, like new bags, or playground equipment, or other things made out of plastic. Some places you can recycle your bags at are Wal-Mart, Lowes, many dry-cleaners, and sometimes your local grocery store.

And to find out more info about what happens to your recyclables, contact your local waste hauler or recycling center.