10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned
The most common are inorganic dyes that are added to change the color of plastic bags. Sadly, one of their newly acquired enemies is created by us who should protect them instead. We are a couple of environmentalists who seek inspiration for life in simple values based on our love for nature. Even if plastic doesnt end up in the ocean, recycled plastic is often exported from high-income countries to developing countries to process. As it turns out, many microorganisms make moldable bioplastic polymers that are fully degradable. McDonalds swapped its plastic straws for paper at its United Kingdom and Ireland restaurants. You probably already saw the video, but if you didnt, you can watch it below (WARNING: Graphic Content): Supporters of plastic straw bans claim that the ban will help reduce our use of single-use plastics. Here are 3 reasons why plastic straws should not be banned, explained in a simple and easy-to-understand manner: 1. 2. Talk to the owners of the restaurants you frequent. To make matters worse, if plastic straws get into the ocean, they can be mistaken for food by marine animals. The problem with plastic straws is that they are one of the biggest causes of unnecessary plastic pollution. Greentumble was founded in the summer of 2015 by us, Sara and Ovi. CRAIG CRIDDLE: In addition to recycling more and reusing materials more, we need new materials that can do the same jobs as current plastics, but are biodegradable, nontoxic and do not concentrate in food chains. What does occur in most instances is that when out in the environment, the plastic breaks up into tiny microscopic pieces that get deposited in soils (where we grow food) or contaminate waterways. Heres everything you need to know about the most ubiquitous (and avoidable) kind of plastic waste: the kind made to be tossed in mere minutes. So that free plastic bag isnt so free after all. Communities with good awareness about negative impacts of plastic bags have been more successful at enforcing the ban [20]. Well, a possible alternative solution could be to encourage businesses to only give out plastic straws on request. While these countries and municipalities have been making strides in their part of reducing circulation of plastic bags, in total there are 195 countries in the world [19] and the issue of plastic pollution is still getting out of our hands. Thanks for signing up. Thats nearly equivalent to the weight of the entire human population. Help us break the cycle of causing unnecessary harm and damage in the name of "convenience". LEAPE:There are two clear imperatives. In Ireland, where this fee was instituted in 2002, plastic bag usage decreased by about 90 percent. Plastic use costs approximately $75 billion a year [16]. Plastic pollution is one of the biggest problems facing our world today. Straws don't provide as much utility as bags, so for many this is an easy adjustment. They suspect that it may add stress on the liver by introducing more pathogens into the body. But a whopping 91 percent of all plastic isnt recycled at all. Or you may need to accept that plastic bag this time and then start campaigning for a plastic bag ban in your area . Nearly 20 years ago, a dead pelican was found with its stomach filled with 17 plastic bags [10]. Its possible that using a plastic straw would make it easier for you to drink without spilling, but the long-term expenses are not worth it. The following are ten lines on why plastic bags need to be prohibited: 1) The careless disposal of trash in plastic bags leads to an increase in litter.2) The use of plastic bags contributes to the depletion of our natural resources, including water, trees, and agricultural products.3) Because of the danger it causes to marine life, the total Straws made of paper are neither recyclable nor capable of decomposition. As plastic bags are not disposed properly . Plastic straws are also the 6th most common trash item found during ocean cleanups. 2. Paper vs. However, one thing we know, is that by introducing a pollutant that may never break down in the environment can have implications that will far exceed any of our predictions. Forty years after the launch of the first universal recycling symbol, only 14 percent of plastic packaging is recycled. Have some dirty clothes that you just wore today? Carrying reusable bags and bottles is one great way to avoid single-use plastics in our day-to-day lives; more on preventing plastic waste can be found below. We are working hard to improve our content. (Photo credit: Shutterstock). In effect, nature has designed this plastic for disassembly. On average, taxpayers end up paying about $88 per year just on plastic bag waste [15]. [PDF] Skip The Straw - 10 Reasons Fact Sheet - Kids. Over time, sun and heat slowly turn plastics into smaller and smaller pieces until they eventually become what are known as microplastics. In addition, despite the fact that the FDA has deemed this to be safe for consumption, chemicals from the plastic may seep into liquids, releasing substances that have the potential to influence estrogen levels. Additionally, awareness raising campaigns create a social pressure that should inspire local government and institutions to help in making changes at a bigger scale, like a regional ban or levy. This is because the customers voluntarily reduce their consumption of plastic bags, which in turn provides enough time for retailers to find suitable alternatives and switch to them. Prior the ban, 70 percent of livestock losses were attributed to plastic bag ingestion. Companies are forced to innovate, rethinking their designs and sourcing sustainable materials. A 2018 study of coral reefs in the Asia-Pacific has confirmed that plastic waste deposited on coral reefs promotes outbreaks of diseases that gradually destroy whole reef colonies [12]. We produce 300 million tons of plastic each year worldwide, half of which is for single-use items. Should Plastic Straws Be Banned? [Pros & Cons of a Straw Ban] You as an individual have the power to make a gradual change in your community. In fact, plastic straws only make up around 0.03 percent of total plastic waste by mass. These microscopic plastic fragments, no more than 5 millimeters long, are hard to detectand are just about everywhere. Car Modifications for Electric Vehicles: Whats Possible. 'Banning plastic straws will not be enough': The fight to clean the oceans By simply using less plastic, you can help keep marine life from eating and getting entangled in garbage. Since their birth, baby turtles have only one goal to get to the sea and swim into deep waters where they will feed and if successful grow into adult turtles. BY Rob Jordan, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, As Colorado River wanes, water supplies and ecosystems hang in the balance, Riverfront forest restoration can deliver outsized benefits, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, An AI solution to climate models gravity wave problem, Beavers will become a bigger boon to river water quality as U.S. West warms. Post date: 18 yesterday. Gas, bloating, and intestinal discomfort. Plastic Straws: Is Paper Really Better for the Environment?Continue. Coca-Cola makes an estimated 110 billion plastic bottles a year. How exactly does the use of plastic do harm to the environment?Plastic has a very long half-life in the environment, during which it poses a danger to animals and spreads toxic chemicals.Additionally, plastic is a contributor to the warming of the planet.Nearly every type of plastic is manufactured using chemicals that are leftover from the manufacturing of fossil fuels, which contribute to global warming (gas, oil and even coal). Plastic bags and plastic products overall contain substances that are harmful to our health. Learn how your comment data is processed. She can remember all of her vehicles the Pontiac 6000, her familys car that was passed on to her when she went to college; the Volkswagen Rabbit, and later Fox, that took her through young adulthood; the Honda Civics,, Read More Car Recycling: Everything You Need to Know (With Statistics)Continue, Whether youre a scuba diver, snorkeler, or amateur swimmer, the ocean is a playground where you come to explore the beauty of nature and the difference from your regular lifes environment. There is a lot of research now underway on the health effects of ocean plastics, but we already know that some plastics, and the chemicals that attach themselves to plastics in the water, can cause cancer, genetic disruptions and other ill effects. Marine animals bear the burden of this influx of garbage into their habitats. Additionally, plastics in our digestive tract may affect absorption of some important trace elements (like iron) which we need for maintaining proper health [13]. A wave of single-use plastic bans is sweeping the country and the globemost often on plastic bags, straws, stirrers, and takeout clamshells. After all, ask your grandparents, they will remember that during their time people were used to go shopping with their own bags or baskets. Once the wheel starts spinning, it leads to even more positive changes. We shouldnt ban plastic straws if it creates an accessibility issue. TOP 10 10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned BEST and NEWEST keep you informed with the latest alerts and progress reports. Interestingly, these granules contain the seeds of their own destruction: enzymes that break the polymer down when it is needed for food. These modern conveniences are so ubiquitousand so quickly thrown outthat they hardly register in our minds. Plastic straws, being so lightweight and non-biodegradable, are readily carried into the water, where they eventually break down into smaller and smaller pieces of microplastic. (Its also important to remember that waste management is just one part of the global materials cycle. Growing public concern has inspired movements to ban single-use plastics, most notably straws. Some Disabled People Require Plastic Straws to Drink For some people with disabilities, straws are the only way they. Ideally, to be suitable for recycling, bags need to be clean to be accepted, which is often a problem, considering that we use them to carry groceries and potentially leaky goods. Beyond the costs associated with the production and purchasing of plastic bags by retailers, there are many external costs that are often not considered. By comparison, an estimated 46 percent of all pollution in the ocean is made up of lost or abandoned fishing gear (Vox). A Ban Could Harm Local Businesses If A laboratory photograph of microplastics found in the Corsica River in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, Maryland, An albatross found dead with a belly full of plastic on Midway Atoll. We can also decrease costs through improved bioprocessing methods, through metabolic engineering and by exploring and harnessing the incredible diversity of bioplastic-making systems that evolution has already created. Single-use plastics in particularespecially small items like straws, bags, and cutleryare traditionally hard to recycle because they fall into the crevices of recycling machinery and therefore are often not accepted by recycling centers. Start from yourself and slowly expand to your family and friends. This measure should encourage people to switch to reusable alternatives. Its Plastic Incineration. 10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned Heres everything you need to know before plastic carryout bags disappear from the Empire State on March 1. Such changes could have outsized benefits for vulnerable populations that rely on rivers for their water supply. You should examine what alternatives are available and whether local retailers, who often operate with a limited monthly budget, have the ability to make the switch. 12 Compelling Reasons For Banning Plastic Bags [2023 Update] - MindsetEco Stanford Reportspoke withJim Leape, co-director of theStanford Center for Ocean Solutions, andCraig Criddle, a professor of civil and environmental engineering, about the path to reducing ocean plastic pollution. Now, lets get into the negatives of a plastic straw ban: While banning plastic straws might help the environment in some aspects (well talk about this later), there are also many reasons against (or cons) of a plastic straw ban. Items made of plastic that come into contact with food can be recycled, whereas products made of paper that absorb both food and garbage cannot. What is the root of the problem (consumers or municipal waste management)? that do collect plastic bags and other plastic films and send them for proper recycling. It topped 60 million tons (54.4 million metric tons) in 2010 based on a September 2018 report titled "Plastic Pollution."But China announced it plans to outlaw the production and sale of . The crucial challenge is to ensure that these bans are just a first step. By being aware about these issues, you will be ready to present some strong arguments why plastic bags should be banned in your area and answer questions of people who will become your ally if you will persuade them about your good intentions. An additional problem with plastic grocery bags recycling is their cleanliness. The majority of plastic bags are made of polyethylene, a substance that is derived from crude oil refining and natural gas processing. In my opinion, plastic straws should not be banned outright, because many disabled people require plastic straws to drink. Tangled in trees and fences along roads, floating in water, lying on the ground in parks and forests, surrounding garbage bins, washed off on beaches. Individual choicesand the collective shifts they bring aboutadd up quickly. We should also try to give up plastic straws if we are capable of doing so. FNB News - Choose the right straw | FNB News Why Should Plastic Straws Be Banned? - Nationwide Plastics Theyve even made their way up to the secluded Pyrenees mountain range and down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Plastic bags are everywhere. Due to its chemistry, nothing in nature can make plastic biodegrade. The risk is that banning straws may confer moral license allowing companies and their customers to feel they have done their part. Once in the ocean, plastic pollution is extremely dangerous to marine life, and plastic straws are no exception. This means that you need to first educate yourself about the problem. For instance, a lot of the plastic produced in Asian countries is for products that serve U.S. demandand the United States often sends plastic waste back to these countries for recycling.). Plastic bag bansideally accompanied by a fee on paper bagsare also catching on. LEAPE:Microplastics pervade the oceans. Without proper education, few people would know the purpose of the ban, and they would continue using other single-use plastics which could be even worse for the environment. Leape has long been a leader in ocean conservation efforts. And the recent fracking boom, resulting in a surplus of oil, is fueling a subsequent rise in cracker plants, too. 10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned New and sustainable business models are needed to address the current plastic deluge and also to enable a new generation of sustainable materials and technologies. And, if you dont like wearing the same shirt or pants, Read More Dont wash it if it doesnt look dirtyContinue, At age 50, Kay is a little over halfway through her life as a driver. An Oregon community is making spectacular statues out of ocean plastic to raise awareness about a crisis at sea. The explanation is quite simple. So, retailers incorporate this cost hiddenly into prices of other items sold at stores. Polyethylene terephthalate, one of the most commonly recycled plastics and the material that makes up most water and soda bottles, can be turned into everything from polyester fabric to automotive parts. We do not know the full impact of microplastics exceeding the mass of plankton in the ocean. They also arent accepted by recycling facilities because they can jam recycling machinery (due to their small size). When you sign up you'll become a member of NRDC's Activist Network. They discovered that Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestl products were found most often. If youd like to learn more about how plastic straws negatively impact the environment, you can check out this article I wrote about the environmental impact of plastic straws. Which brings us to the second part. The majority of this pollutiondominated by single-use plastic wastecomes from countries lacking infrastructure to properly manage waste, particularly in Asia. These steps are pretty straight forward and depend on your own initiative. (Source: Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment), Stanford scientists are among a growing number of researchers harnessing artificial intelligence techniques to bring more realistic representations of ubiquitous atmospheric ripples into global climate models. 10 Reasons Why Plastic Bags Should Be Banned | Greentumble Paper straws are horrible and should be taken out of circulation Because they are so lightweight, plastic bags get easily picked up by wind and travel long distances by wind and water to pollute the nature. Greentumble is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Plastic is more sanitary and safer to use than other alternatives. 300 to 700 plastic bags pass through the hands of an average American in just one year [8] and a survey of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs concluded that the average household in the United Kingdom stores around 40 plastic shopping bags at home [2]. How can you help to ban plastic bags in your area? They store these polymers inside their cells as tiny granules. PLASTIC STRAWS CANT BE BROKEN DOWN BY NATURE. Our plastic addiction is having a devastating impact on our oceans, our wildlife, and our health.