According to the Press of Atlantic City when New Jersey prohibited plastic grocery bags to prevent them from clogging landfills and littering communities and waterways, many people were surprised that the state also included paper bags in the ban.Lawmakers’ reasoning was that paper bags require as much or more energy and resources to manufacture and transport than single-use plastic carryout bags, and contribute to harmful air emissions.Forced to switch to – and purchase -reusable shopping bags, many people were not thrilled.Now, some state lawmakers want to allow a return to paper bags at the grocery checkout, provided the bags contain at least 40% recycled content.