World Paper Bag Day 2020
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World Paper Bag Day is held on July 12 every year, all around the globe. The day aims to spread awareness about using paper bags instead of plastic to help reduce plastic waste that takes thousands of years to decompose.
Millions of people use paper bags every day. Readily recyclable, paper bags have been around for many years. American inventor, Francis Wolle, received credit for his patent of the first paper bag machine in 1852. Margaret E. Knight became known as “the mother of the grocery bag” after she designed the square, flat bottomed bag, and the machine that would fold and paste them in 1870. Over the years, other inventors have received recognition and patents for their inventions of devices that improve the paper bag or its production.
History of The Paper Bag
The first machine to mass-produce paper bags was invented by Francis Wolle, a schoolteacher, in 1852. Then in 1871, inventor Margaret E. Knight designed a machine that created flat-bottomed paper bags. This was followed by Charles Stilwell creating a machine that made square-bottom paper bags with pleated sides in 1883. The bags that are widely used now are the one with handles, which was created by Walter Deubener in 1912. The paper bags were however replaced by plastic bags, which were introduced in the 1970s, at a lower price.
Advantages of Paper Bag
· Paper bags are biodegradable and do not leave toxins out.
· Paper bags can be used reused if handled carefully.
· Paper bags can be easily made in a home composter.
· Paper bags are made up of wood like newspapers, magazines, or books that is why they can be recycled and easily converted into a new paper.
· A paper bag can hold around 10–14 items and are quite sturdy.
· It takes less energy to manufacture paper bags as compared to plastic bags.
· Paper bags are safer for pets, other animals.
· Paper bags can be reused at home and can even be used to make compost.
The disadvantage of a paper bag
They can be that they are too porous and carrying freezing food in a paper bag is difficult. Therefore, the wet strength of the paper bag is a bit poor.
No doubt using paper bags will help a lot to the environment. But yes we should not waste paper or should not overdo it. Because Papers are made up of wood and to generate more papers we have to cut down trees.
