ANOTHER EXAMPLE: Persuasive Essay
Forget Paper AND Plastic . . . Go Reusable!
We’ve all been to the grocery store and been asked, “Paper or plastic?”
Which is the best option for the environment? Most retailers use plastic bags.
According to the research, somewhere between 500 billion and 1 trillion
plastic bags are used each year throughout the world. These bags are made
from petroleum and don’t readily decompose in a landfill. Instead, they break
down into smaller and smaller pieces, which harm the soil and get eaten by
animals. Plastic bags also cause problems for animals, trapping or choking
hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales, and other animals, both in the
ocean and on land.
But are paper bags the answer? Not really, according to the research. It
takes more than four times as much energy to produce a paper bag as to produce
a plastic bag. And paper bags are made mostly from trees, which means millions
of trees are cut down each year to produce them. Finally, producing the paper
to make the bags releases toxic chemicals into the air and water nearby. In fact,
they cause 70 percent more air pollution and 50 times more water pollution
than plastic bags.
Regardless of whether they are plastic or paper, most grocery bags are used
only once. Americans throw away about 100 billion plastic bags each year. Only
one to three percent of plastic bags are recycled, and only 10 to 15 percent of
paper bags.
The best answer to the “Paper or plastic?” question is “No, thank you.”
Reusable bags are made from canvas or other durable cloth. They can be washed
if they get dirty, and they can be used for years, saving natural resources and
keeping pollutants out of the environment. With many grocery stores starting to
charge for plastic and paper bags, resusable bags may soon become the cheaper
alternative, even ignoring the environmental benefits.
Reusable bags can be folded and carried in a purse or pocket for shopping
at the mall. Have them available whenever you go shopping, and don’t settle for
those two choices the cashier offers. Instead, do yourself and the planet a favor—
whip out your reusable and say (at least to yourself), “There is a better way! ”
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