Every year, World Paper Bag Day is celebrated on July to make people more aware of the importance of using paper bags and avoiding the uses of plastic bags. We know how harmful it can be using plastic bags. It harm environment as they pose a serious threat to the health of all living beings on the Earth. Hence, it is very much important to educate people about the hazardous and dangerous effects of single-use plastic bags.
This year World Paper Bag Day will be celebrated on Tuesday, 12 July. However, the dates may vary for some countries observing the day. Regardless of the dates, the main purpose of World Paper Bag Day is to encourage people to use more paper bags in order to save the environment.
The question may arise how this practice started. The first-ever paper bag machine was invented by an American Francis Wolein, in 1852. Later, in the year 1871, another paper bag manufacturing machine was invented by Margaret E Knight. The machine was unique and capable of producing flat-bottom paper bags. The machine grew so popular that Margaret Knight was known as the ‘Mother of Grocery Bags’.
Charles Stillwell, in 1883, also designed a paper bag machine that was capable of designing square-bottom paper bags along with pleated sides. These bags were easy to fold and comfortable to store and were liked by people. Walter Dubner in 1912, designed a paper bag with a handle that made it easy to carry. Since then, there have been a lot of modifications and improvements in the production of paper bags
Plastic bags are made up of non-renewable, non-recyclable, and non-bio-degradable materials like high-density polyethylene low-density polyethylene or linear low-density polyethylene.These materials take thousands of years to decompose, hence it pollute the environment to higher levels. Hence, people should use as much as eco-friendly, renewable, and recyclable paper bags, which is the main purpose of celebrating World Paper Bag Day.
