Eco-friendly myths busted, from tote bags to paper straws and electric cars

You’ve been told to ditch plastic , drive electric and shop sustainably to help save the planet. But some familiar “green” promises don’t live up to what they claim. That does not mean every eco-friendly option is a con. But sustainable and ethical labels aren’t always guarantee the product is better for the planet. 8 A sign reading “Don’t forget your reusable bags” is displayed at a Publix cart return in Vilano Beach, Fla. Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Here are six misleading environmental myths: Plastics can be recycled forever Much of the plastic put into recycling bins never gets a second life, according to a 2024 report from the Center for Climate Integrity.

Explore More US’ largest budget airline sees a staggering 71% spike in ticket prices Applebee’s accused of stealing tips after customer’s gratuity doesn’t add up Bride nearly borne aloft by giant balloons during windy wedding photo-op It claims plastic producers promoted recycling for decades despite knowing its technical and economic limitations. Different plastics require sorting processing and can degrade in quality, while even cheaper new plastic undermines the market for recycled material, the report said.

And if a different material is detected within a batch of waste plastic, the whole thing goes to landfill. However, recycling still has major benefits for other materials. Recycling aluminum, for example, uses 95 per cent less energy than producing it from raw ore. Electric cars have no environmental footprint An electric car’s environmental footprint starts long before it hits the road — and doesn’t disappear when you plug it in. While electric vehicles (EVs) have no tailpipe emissions, mining the minerals to build its battery and generating electricity to charge results in pollution, according to MIT. 8 BYD electric cars for export wait to be loaded onto a ship at a port in Yantai, in eastern China’s Shandong province.

AFP via Getty Images An electric car can produce about 80% more carbon emissions than building a similar gas-powered car, largely due to mining and processing its battery materials, the institute claims. “We shouldn’t claim victory that with this switch to electric cars, problem solved, we are going to have zero emissions,” Sergey Paltsev, Deputy Director of the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change previously said.

Charging an electric car can also create carbon pollution if it relies on power from non-renewable sources such as coal or natural gas. More than 60% of the electricity generated for the wholesale grid in the US comes from fossil fuels, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration. Still, even then, the EPA notes that powering an electric vehicles typically creates less pollution than a gas-powered vehicle. Lower emissions while driving generally outweigh other disadvantages over their lifetimes.

However, lower emissions while driving generally outweigh that disadvantage over their lifetimes. 8 An 18-wheel car hauler carrying vehicles travels along Interstate 5 near Buttonwillow in Kern County, Calif. AFP via Getty Images “Electric cars are actually much, better in terms of the impact on the climate in comparison to internal combustion vehicles,” Paltsev added. While some batteries require replacing every five years, several manufacturers offer eight-year, 100,000-mile battery warranties, according to The Department of Energy.

Eco-conscious and sustainable clothing is better for the world An “ethical” or “sustainable” label does not necessarily make new clothing purchases guilt-free — or guarantee those garments will be recycled when you’re done with them. The European Environment Agency says less than one percent of textile waste is recycled into new clothing fibers. 8 The Hala Koszyki market in Warsaw, Poland, hosts a vintage clothing fair. NurPhoto via Getty Images Non-reusable textiles may become insulation or industrial rags, or — more likely — be incinerated or landfilled.

The European Commission identifies extending clothing’s useful life as the most effective way to reduce environmental impact. It also recommends buying fewer garments, repairing them and wearing them longer as better than replacing them with “greener” materials. Paper straws are better than plastic Replacing plastic straws with paper ones changes the environmental calculation; it does not automatically settle it, according to a study. A 2025 lifecycle study examining straw alternatives in Greece found paper straws had higher climate impacts than conventional plastic ones.

Paper production, raw materials and disposal all contributed to that footprint. 8 Plastic straws have a greater impact on environmental degradation than paper straws, according to one study in Greece. Matija – stock.adobe.com For people who can comfortably drink without one, skipping a disposable straw avoids the manufacturing and waste associated with either material. Cotton tote bags are greener than plastic bags Bags need to be reused more than one hundred times each to be greener than plastic .

Producing cotton requires more resources , so a tote begins with a manufacturing footprint that must be spread across repeated shopping trips. 8 A customer takes a plastic bag at a Woolworths grocery store in Sydney, Australia. Bloomberg via Getty Images 8 Publix reusable tote bags and shopping bags are on display for sale in Florida. UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images A British Environment Agency study estimated a cotton bag needed 131 uses to beat a conventional single use plastic carrier.

However, there are many factors such as the weight, thickness and type of manufacturing used for a tote. Equally, if a plastic bag is reused more than once — or even as a trash liner — it changes the calculation. The most useful way to look at it is how many shopping trips your existing bag can handle before you buy another. Buying locally produced foods is better for the environment Purchasing food grown closer to home is not always better for the environment — how it is produced can matter more than how far it travels. 8 Products are displayed at the greenmarket in Union Square in New York.

The market has been open four days a week since 1976, offering fruits, vegetables, flowers and baked goods directly. Anadolu via Getty Images UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability notes that soils and climates suit different crops, and that “food miles” a product has traveled represent a small share of food-related greenhouse-gas emissions. And growing locally can require resources that another region supplies naturally.

For example, the institute points to the water demands growing food locally would have in desert cities such as Phoenix and Las Vegas, compared to the rainier climates of Washington or Oregon, further north. Some foods like avocados, coffee beans and olives will only grow in very specific climates. A little common sense goes a long way — for example, buying oranges in Florida and peaches in North Carolina or Georgia will usually result in a local purchase, as would lobster and oysters while in Maine.