Paper or plastic?

A group of students at Lake Zurich Middle School South are not only becoming environmentally conscious, they are also becoming business savvy.

Thirty-eight students from the school have formed a company called "Earthly Eagles." The company, which has elected officers and has stockholders, is selling reusable grocery bags made from 100 percent polypropylene.

The students sold more than 750 bags in a month, said Mary Dooms, the teacher who is coordinating the program, along with Lisa Linder. Each bag is being sold for $3, or two for $5.

In addition to running the company, the students also are learning to be good corporate citizens by encouraging others to stop using plastic bags. Lake Zurich Mayor John Tolomei will visit the school on Jan. 16 to find out what the village can do to encourage the effort.

The teachers received seed money for the project from the District 95 Educational Foundation.

For more information on the bags, e-mail the students at EarthlyEaglesClass@lz95.org.

More about plastic bags

• Plastic bags have been used as "baggies" and sandwich bags since 1957, and as grocery bags at the checkout stand since 1977.

• North America and Western Europe account for nearly 80 percent of plastic bag use.

• Each year, Americans throw away 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags.

• Only .6 percent of plastic bags are recycled.

Source: Worldwatch Institute, Film & Bag Federation