In Today's Washington Post----- Paper Vs. Plastic

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2007/10/03/GR2007100301385.html?hpid=smartliving

Summary: US uses 100 billion plastic bags a year, with 12 billion barrels of oil
It takes 4x as much energy to make apaper bag than it does to make a plastic one
Paper bag rpoduction create 70% more air pollution and 50% more water pollution than plastic bag production
It takes 98% less energy to recycle a pound of plastic than it does a pound of paper
Paper is biodegradable, plastic is not