Not sure if you remember but a few decades ago the message was the opposite. Paper and cardboard packaging, grocery bags, etc. were environmentally damaging, plastic was seen as far friendlier (no trees cut down), and much more recyclable.

Still true - paper is bad from a resource usage point of view where plastic is a pollutant. The problem is weighing up the macro and micro effects over short and long term time frames, and the only real solution is consume less.

Plastics use less resources to produce, but pose a problem in that they will always stay plastic. Paper, cotton, etc use too much water and are often combined with plastic anyway to make them more durable, hygenic and increase shelf life of the packaging.

There's one issue with reusable grocery bags no one seems to want to mention. You have to wash them! More water, detergent or worse spray them with potentially carcinogenic anti-bacterials.

Apparently recycability isn't the conversation or the problem, because if it were California wouldn't be trying to outlaw plastic straws.

To obtain plastic, you need oil, which often requires removal of entire swathes of the biosphere. Funny how just one step can fool people like that.