The End of Paper or Plastic?

I think supermarket vocabulary is about to change. As plastic grocery bags look to be heading the way of the dodo, the age-old question of paper or plastic my not be relevant in the not-so-distant future. I say this for many reasons, both societal and personal. Firstly, a string of cities and even entire countries have moved to ban the unbiodegradable petro-chemical sacks that have a tendency to not only end up as unsightly litter, but to also clog up drainage and sewage systems. Secondly, many companies have started to produce some quality, green alternatives, which, citing the laws of supply and demand, indicates a market shift. And thirdly (this is the personal one), at a Mother’s Day dinner this weekend, I found out everyone there—independently of each other—had started carrying their own cloth or recycled tote bags (all with a promotional message’ I might add) to the grocery store. While I’d like to think that ours is a particularly enlightened family, I don’t think it is just that. I think maybe the tide is turning, and this time in the favor of the environment.