Plastic bags are used in excess by grocery stores. The plastic bags given by the stores are very harmful to the environment as only some plastics can be recycled. Paper bags would be a great alternate choice to plastic bags as they are recyclable and, if they don’t tear, reusable as well.  If plastic bags are used though, they can always be reused in other tasks. I believe the best way to save the environment is to bring your own reusable bags to the grocery store. They are more durable and so they last longer. Also they can be larger so they are able to carry many items. In the end, you would be holding only a few bags in comparison to the several plastic bags that could potentially harm the environment as they are not biodegradable. I believe it is a wonderful idea to ban plastic bags as most recently the state of California has done. I have challenged myself to try and start using reusable bags when shopping at my local grocery store.

Hi Anushka, I agree with you completely. Plastic bags can be potentially harmful to the Earth due to the fact that they are not biodegradable. I actually live in an area in California where they have recently banned plastic bags from all stores. When you purchase items, you are given the option to either use your own reusable bag, or to buy however many paper bags you need for 10 cents. The new enforcement has been going smoothly in my opinion; I have seen more people in my town using reusable bags. That was the goal of this law to begin with, so I think that is a very positive thing. My family is one that has started bringing reusable bags to stores, and it is much easier than using plastic bags. Carrying 2-3 reusable bags is much easier than carrying 20 plastic bags. The plastic bags are also more prone to rip, while the paper and reusable ones aren't. This new law is changing our state, and hopefully will continue on and help change our world. This is the first step of many to reduce our carbon dioxide-filled atmosphere.