Recycle - Paper or Plastic?

I was sick awhile back with strep throat. The foods that felt best on my irritated throat were cold and wet as they went down the easiest. I was sitting at home drinking a yogurt smoothie (because it felts good on my throat) and I got to wondering. Why do we (Americans) insist on using so many plastics? I'm a big recycler, and every week my recycle bin is filled with plastic bottles, fruit boxes and the like. So, I'm wondering and thinking back to my days at school and the paper milk cartons - they're still used today but we also use plastic bottles. So why not put liquids like milk, yogurt and more I probably can't think of right now, in paper containers that can easily be recycled or at worst, will decompose. I would think that the paper containers could be made from recycled paper and are easily broken down for waste. I can visualize a landfill with all these plastic bottles, never to do anything but take up space. A paper container at least has a chance but plastic? no way.


I know, I know - paper comes from trees. We can, if motivated, replant a forest, but plastic just seems like a dead end...