. In 2006 the Environment Agency discovered that using paper bags releases more carbon emissions than plastic bags, but plastic bags are not biodegradable so that creates an environmental impact beyond carbon emissions. So what do we do now, if both paper and plastic bags are harmful to the environment? The answer Bioplastics! Bioplastics are made from vegetables such as corn that are a lot more renewable than trees and lets face it, it is a whole lot easier to grow a cornfield than to regrow a forest. Bioplastic bags can reduce carbon emissions from anywhere between 30% and 70% and are designed to decay in a matter if weeks.  Now Bioplastics are not a permanent solution. They do cost more to manufacture, are not as strong as regular plastic bags, and it would take a lot of land to grow enough corn to continually manufacture the bags.  These Bioplastic bags are not going to become mainstream until prices lower significantly, so at the moment they are still just an  idea, but right now the best way to reduce carbon emissions is to grab an old canvas bag that has been sitting around for years.
Source: Paper or Plastic ... or Neither by Brendan Koerner

I like the idea of bioplastic bags. I am not sure about are we using the actual food in the corn plant to produce the bioplastic or we are using the other parts, for example the stem, of the corn plant to make these new plastics. If it is using the corn, then it would be better to continue to use the classic plastic bags or paper bags because we still have millions of people starving in the world. In my opinion, living temporarily is more important than benefiting the later generations because if we can’t survive through, there won’t be a next generation. So I will rather eat the corn instead of using them to make new plastic bags. However, if we are using the other part of the corn that is not edible, it will be a very beneficial and environmental-friendly new technology to me these bioplastic. While we are eating the corns, we use their stems and leaves to make eco-friendly products, which is a very nice win-win situation.