[alt text: first, there's text over a happy Albinauric from Elden Ring saying "me when I thought recycling would save the world. second, there's text over a sad/depressed Albinauric from Elden Ring saying "me after I found out that plastic corporations invented plastic recycling to put the responsibility onto the consumer even though they knew plastic recycling was both chemically and financially not feasible, and now I have plastic in my brain, lungs, and testicles".]
When they rolled out disposable plastic bags, they said they were green because they saved trees. I remember. The paper in bags was and is created using pulp from farmed trees, like other crops.
You buy this?
Lots of inventions get changed or have knock on effects different than the inventor intended. We didn't get lazy, the corporations saw a cheaper alternative to disposable paper bags and went with it. It is a systemic issue that rises above the end consumers decision.