Here's something that's been troubling me for some time. It is a deep, philosophical question, that has been plauging metaphysicists for millenia, with no end to the debate in sight. So, I figured, "Why not bring it to the online community?" Ready? Here goes:


Paper or plastic? Discuss.

More durable, tougher, ductile, doesn't waste trees, and has millions of practical uses. Plastic all the way.

Hmm...depends on what you want to use it for...I mean, plastic is good for a whole host of things, but paper has its uses as well...

But I'd prolly say paper over plastic mainly for the reason that you cant make a paper plane out of plastic...XD

hmmmm..... i pick plastic..... i have a small trashcan in my room and the plastic bags fit perfictly in it.....


plus paper likes to cut me.....

Plastic.

Paper cuts are a...well, you know. x_x OW.

Well Peter...i guess that's a valid point, but that's the only thing paper can do that plastic can't lol.

How bout being biodegradeable in less than 1,000 years?

Paper is better for the environment :P

I think paper is a more environmentally-consious choice for one's grocery needs, but plastic is important for other things (like medical equipment for example)

EDIT: I can't believe I even contributed to this...

Paper is much more durable. Plus, you can reuse paper grocery bags as wrapping paper and book covers. :b Paper is the obvious choice.

u do know u just said its enviromentally friendly to hack up trees :o, not sure how that works... <_<

as for my choice, it would have to be plastic, the fact its non biodegradible makes it the perfect time capsule, think i may bury my fav personal belongings and see if i can dig em up in 50 yrs.

and the fact plastic has soo many uses makes it the obvious choice for anybody.

paper should be obsolete, with digital technology, the use of paper for litreture will deminish greatly, saving the beloved trees

Actually a lot of paper now is recycled, so trees aren't getting cut down as much. Plus, they have tree farms, raised specifically FOR paper, that they keep replanting, so paper really isn't that harmful to the environment. Also, people said a while back that with the introduction of the home computer, use of paper would decline greatly. As it turns out, paper use has actually increased greatly since computers became widely used. So I don't think digital technology is going to eliminate paper in the near future.

Anyway, I kind of meant this as a debate between paper or plastic grocery bags (being a former bagger), as which is better really has to do with what it's being used for.

Well...see, in the case of bags it really depends on whether you want practicality or environmentally friendly...If we keep this to specifically paper and plastic then plastic wins hands down in terms of practicality...however, paper obviously wins in environment issues, unless of course you dispose of your plastic bags properly...

However, I would go for plastic on this one...

True, but how often do people really properly dispose of platic?????

Everytime I get paper.... my grocerys always rips through it.... like it was made of.... well paper... thats one more resone I choose plastic....

I don't see how paper is more durable Jull, it rips way too easy and if you're talking about cardboard, i'll start talking about polyethylene, which is really tough and can be used for tons of things. Bullet proof glass ain't actual glass i might add, it's plastic.

As for bags, i prefer the cotton ones that are given at coles. Cotton is a polymer like plastic, but it isn't plastic :P My choice would be neither, but if i had to pick, i'd still use plastic cause you can get them wet. Paper bags + rain = not good. As for the trees, yeah they're being saved by recycled stuff...but we live in world where quality seems to over-run things.

^agrees.

Wow, I was actually expecting a real question about Philosophy since I took that last sem but well, I was going to say plastic either way. You can use it for more a lot of things but it's also very dangerous because of the chemicals needed for making it. Paper on the other hand can't be used for everything, obviously, still it's more safe. Funny, I don't think the two are really comparable besides which one is more durable. <_<

For the sake of picking, it's plastic.

But Plastic bags are easyer to kill a person with.... and with paper, well i guess you can paper cut there neck.... but that can take a few tries and with plastic all you have to do is hold it over there head and instant suffication.....

So plastic is still good with me.....

"I want to say one word to you.
Just one word: plastics."