Study: Reusable grocery bags aren’t as environmentally friendly as you might think

Popular Science discusses why Reusable grocery bags aren’t as environmentally friendly as you might think. Five misconceptions about single-use plastics that might surprise you.

Single-use plastics, like plastic grocery bags, are often the poster child for waste. Despite this notoriety, these materials aren’t necessarily as wasteful as many consumers may think. According to a new study, there are a number of similar misconceptions about how certain consumer behaviors, like using plastic bags, actually affect the environment.

“Single-use plastic is one small piece of moving towards sustainability,” says Shelie Miller, a professor of sustainable systems at the University of Michigan and an author on the study. In the new paper, published this week in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, Miller tackles five misconceptions about the impact of this commonplace material.

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