Plastic or paper? Enviro-Girl hears this question every time she’s at the grocery store–and the answer is obvious: she brought her own bags, thanks. But if one were to choose, paper is the way to go. Why? Paper is a renewable resource and a biodegradable material. Paper bags can be cut apart to wrap packages mailed to far-flung relatives. Paper bags can hold paper for curbside recycling. Paper bags can be used a dozen helpful ways in a garden. Paper ALWAYS trumps plastic when it comes to bags.
What are some other products or packaging where one might choose paper over plastic?
1. Tampons–choose the cardboard applicator over the plastic applicator.
2. Q-tips–don’t buy the kind with the plastic sticks between the cotton ends.
3. Opt for popcicles and ice cream treats wrapped in paper with cardboard or wood sticks.
4. Paintbrushes made of natural fibers (wood handles, hair bristles) instead of plastic handles and nylon bristles. Ditto for hairbrushes.
5. Disposable picnic items, like plates and cups. Check out Bare by Solo at Target for a whole line of cups and plates that are compostable or made from recycled resources!
6. Choose cardboard or glass packaging for juice and milk. By simply switching to buying milk in returnable glass bottles, Enviro-Girl’s recycling bin requires emptying once every 3 weeks!
7. Buy powdered goods in cardboard boxes–baking soda, Bisquick, baking powder, salt, detergents.
8. Buy bars of soap packaged in paper instead of liquid soap in plastic bottles.
9. Skip the plastic bags for grocery produce–onions and apples, potatoes and heads of lettuce will be JUST FINE without the extra layer of plastic covering them!
10. Wrap gifts in paper, not plastic. Not cellophane or saran wrap. Paper gift wrap. Or baskets. Or reusable tins.
What other household products can you buy wrapped up in trees instead of petroleum? 
This is great. Clear and concise and easy to remember.
You can use freezer paper instead of Ziplocks , which give me freezer burn most of the time anyway. OK, maybe one side does have a thin coating of something non-stic, but it’s not an entire plastic baggie! Does that count??
And I wrap cartons for mailing a lot in brown paper bags I’ve recycled.