The alternatives have their own externalities. Paper comes from monocrop plantations (so soil depletion and erosion,and after heavy rain, trash all over roads a

The alternatives have their own externalities. Paper comes from monocrop plantations (so soil depletion and erosion,and after heavy rain, trash all over roads and neighboring properties), and it's energy intensive and chemical intensive to make. The waxes used for foodproofing paper are-well, you might as well just use all plastic. Glass is very energy intensive to make and it's heavy to transport. Aluminum is also very energy intensive. It's the best in terms of recyclability though.