Will Shifting to Reusable Straws Really Make a Difference? Well, a possible alternative solution could be to encourage businesses to only give out plastic straws on request. CRIDDLE:We need to think about what incentives will promote a culture of recycling and innovation with respect to waste streams. This could negatively reflect on their income. The reason to worry is that scientists do not know how our metabolism and immunity will react to the increased concentration of plastic particles in our system. 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. But you should also consider the other perspective what effect single-use bags have had on the local economy and product affordability. 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned? These tiny plastic particles have been found in our oceans, soil, and even in the air. Leape has long been a leader in ocean conservation efforts. Beyond the costs associated with the production and purchasing of plastic bags by retailers, there are many external costs that are often not considered. For most, straws are not a necessity, but a convenience. If you are constantly feeling gassy, then you should definitely consider drinking beverages the old fashioned way. A calf had to be put down because of indigestion caused by 8 plastic bags in its stomach. And they help shift consumer mind-sets, as people begin to recognize that exorbitant and avoidable waste is not sustainable. As plastic bags tend to get caught in recycling machinery, most recycling facilities do not have the capacity to recycle plastic bags and therefore do not accept them. The majority of this pollutiondominated by single-use plastic wastecomes from countries lacking infrastructure to properly manage waste, particularly in Asia. Using a straw directs a concentrated stream of liquid onto a localized area of the teeth, which can cause the enamel to wear away and lead to dental disease. Similar fate has met dolphins, seals, cats, dogs, deer and many other animals which got severely cut on their bodies due to plastic bag entanglement. Yeah I end up going through like 5 paper straws because they keep disintegrating and I can't drink my drink anymore. They also arent accepted by recycling facilities because they can jam recycling machinery (due to their small size). What to do with plastic bags you already have at home? Most of it is either dumped in landfills or ends up in the ocean. The Natural Resources Defense Council works to safeguard the earth - its people, 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. Since the 1950s, 8.3 billion metric tons of plastics have been produced, and half of that in the past 15 years alone. What Does the Plastic Bag Ban Mean for New Yorkers? What is the root of the problem (consumers or municipal waste management)? In countries with a lack of awareness about negative impacts of plastic bags, a polite refusal might not be met with much understanding. In the United States, California has banned single-use plastic bags in 2016, but the city of San Francisco has locally issued this ban already in 2012 and consumers pay a little fee for other alternatives like compostable bags or recycled paper bags. We are working hard to improve our content. This measure should encourage people to switch to reusable alternatives. 1. At the beginning of July 2018, Seattle became the largest U.S. city to ban plastic straws. While we may not pay for plastic bags directly when we go shopping, they are anything but free.. A plastic straw ban would serve to reduce the number of plastic straws entering the ocean. . For those governments that are opposed to full bans on plastic bags, another option is to institute a plastic bag tax, where consumers or retailers would pay a small fee for each plastic bag. 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. Speak out in support of local plastic bans, whether by calling your local government representative, submitting an op-ed to your citys newspaper, or simply starting conversations with neighbors. We should also try to give up plastic straws if we are capable of doing so. NRDCs Eric Goldstein gives the scoop on the latest environmental villain and explains why plastic straws really are a big menace to our oceans. Then, the straw got stuck in the turtles nose after she/he tried to cough the straw back out. Tiny plastic particles have been found in human feces. Plastic bags. Learn how your comment data is processed. But single-use plastics come with a steep environmental priceone that well be paying off for millennia. State Disclosures. These dyes on their own can leach toxins, but they can also be contaminated with traces of heavy metals such as lead or cadmium, both of which affect kidney health and proper functioning of other organs. Reduce Aesthetic value of your neighborhood. Marine animals bear the burden of this influx of garbage into their habitats. A 2017 Environmental Sciences and Technology study reported that up to 95 percent of plastic waste enters oceans from one of 10 riverseight in Asia and two in Africa. Plastic bags have become such a nuisance because we as consumers use them excessively even when not needed and authorities havent figured out effective ways of dealing with them as waste. "To us, it was the 'gateway plastic' to the larger, more . How? Here are 3 reasons why plastic straws should not be banned, explained in a simple and easy-to-understand manner: For some people with disabilities, straws are the only way they can drink. On other issues, from overfishing to deforestation, we have seen that consumer-facing companies like McDonalds, Unilever and Walmart can be exquisitely sensitive to the concerns of their customers. They are also capable of being ingested by fish, seabirds, and marine mammals, which in turn causes the animals injury and, in the case of fish, allows them to enter the human food chain. Also, giving a speech in . Buying a product through my link comes at no extra cost to you, and I only recommend products that I believe in. Once the wheel starts spinning, it leads to even more positive changes. 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. 1. But, getting rid of all single-use plastics definitely will. Plastic waste, mostly broken down into tiny particles, floats in huge blobs amid ocean current patterns called gyres that together cover as much as 40 percent of Earths ocean surface. As it turns out, many microorganisms make moldable bioplastic polymers that are fully degradable. Interestingly, these granules contain the seeds of their own destruction: enzymes that break the polymer down when it is needed for food. Even human footprints left in the sand represent mountain-like obstacles in their path and waves washing up on the beach are another challenge, as they thrust them back on the dry land to try once again before finally being picked up by a return current and start swimming for their life. Reusable shopping bags are very durable and can be reused many times over the course of their useful life. Those global companies can be important levers in driving change and shifting to a regenerative, circular economy. When animals ingest plastic, it clogs up their digestive systems, which can easily choke or kill animals like birds or sea turtles. Thats bad news for our carbon reduction goals: if plastic production continues unabated, its greenhouse gas emissions could reach 1.34 gigatons per year by 2030equal to adding nearly 300 new coal-fired power plantseven as the need to curb global climate change becomes more urgent. Buy in bulk. As part of the Break Free From Plastic movement, Greenpeace volunteers conducted an audit of plastic pollution along coastlines, sifting through tens of thousands of individual pieces across 42 countries to identify the pollutions sources. They contribute to the contamination of our landfills and seas when they are discarded after use. the eight worst source of ocean plastic pollution, Impact of Plastic Bags on the Environment, non-renewable fossil fuel-based resources, Plastic Bag Degradation: What You Should Know, Serious Effects of Plastic Pollution on Human Health. You as an individual have the power to make a gradual change in your community. Have you ever seen endangered sea turtles hatch? They are a part of our modern lives, and we dont tend to think much about them. Some countries have decided to do so after directly experiencing negative impacts of plastic bags, other countries have implemented the ban to reach their sustainability goals. India, for example, generates 25,940 tons of plastic waste every day but collects only 60 percent of it. 2. Well, before putting it into the laundry basket, take a look at it closely. Due to its chemistry, nothing in nature can make plastic biodegrade. Paper straws cost on average around 2.5 cents ($0.025), whereas plastic straws cost only half a cent ($0.005). Companies are forced to innovate, rethinking their designs and sourcing sustainable materials. that do collect plastic bags and other plastic films and send them for proper recycling. We use them to drink beverages at home and we get them at almost every restaurant. In early January 2020, China joined the growing movement of more than 120 countries pledging to ban single-use plastics.The country of 1.4 billion citizens is the No. Even if plastic doesnt end up in the ocean, recycled plastic is often exported from high-income countries to developing countries to process. 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. 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 After all, ask your grandparents, they will remember that during their time people were used to go shopping with their own bags or baskets. Plastic is not the largest contributor of pollution and the . Stanford experts discuss the limitations of these bans and the potential for meaningful change. What never leaves, Read More Sustainable Diving & Snorkeling: How to Prevent Damage to Marine EcosystemsContinue, Top 3 Ways Kids can Help the Earth! This type of plastic is derived from petroleum. The subtropical gyres of the North Pacific Ocean are also documented to contain the highest concentrations of plastic. Most plastic straws are made from harsh chemicals making them impossible to reuse or recycle. It means that most bags can be recycled. If this happens, there are a few scenarios you can follow: The best thing you can do with those old plastic bags that have been stashed in that overflowing drawer in your kitchen is to recycle them. It also took 100% of those plastic grocery bags out of the recycling system, where they bound up machinery and increased costs. (Some places are going so far as to ban single-use plastics entirely; most notably, India intends to go this route by 2022.) But the sheer amount of plastic waste inundates communities until they are drowning under thousands of tons of plastic trash. The small pilot whale, found in a Thai canal this past June, is another symptom of a crisis in the worlds oceans. This form of ban could lead to a reduction in landfill across the country, going a long way to protect the nature and serenity of the area. Criddle has evaluated use of microorganisms to biodegrade plastic materials and to synthesize biodegradable bioplastics from waste feedstocks. We all are just trying to do our job well. In many instances, it may seem too awkward for you to refuse the bag, so you accept it this one time, but you should know that it is fine to say no politely even at this stage if you dont want that bag. Hi, Im Hugh, and my mission with Get Green Now is to raise awareness of environmental issues and teach people how to live sustainably. 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]. But, are paper straws really better for the environment? Lizzie Carr is shining a light on what is floating through the worlds waterways, and breaking athletic records along the way. Required fields are marked *. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. You could either discuss with a store manager a possibility of bringing your own containers for these products. Logically, the key to starting a change in your community is education. A complete ban on plastic straws would harm disabled people, which definitely isnt the goal of such a ban. As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. An outright ban on plastic straws would create an accessibility problem for disabled people while dining in public. Our waterway plastic pollution is particularly concentrated: Just ten rivers carry 93 percent of the worlds total amount of plastic that enters the oceans via rivers each year. Rating: 5 (913 reviews) Highest rating: 5. If plastic straws are completely banned, local small businesses like boba tea shops will have to look for pricier alternatives. Each year on two far-flung Australian islands, more than half a million hermit crabs die after becoming trapped inside our plastic waste. Growing public concern has inspired movements to ban single-use plastics, most notably straws. Look around and you will notice that plastic bags are the most common litter. Consumer outrage about the plastics crisis is already commanding attention from big companies and from many governments. Fortunately, microorganisms can also use cheap, renewable substrates, such as food wastes, biogas methane, carbon dioxide and renewable hydrogen. They store these polymers inside their cells as tiny granules. This means that the average consumption of plastic bags per person dropped from 328 bags per year to just 21 [20]. The decrease in demand for plastic bags forces manufacturers to reduce their production and consider expanding in a supply of alternative products. According to the findings of a study that was carried out in 2019 by students at the University of Washington, 78 percent of respondents used straws made of biodegradable materials that are in compliance with the prohibition, and 68 percent used utensils that are in compliance with the ban. In 2015 researchers from the University of Georgia estimated that between 4.8 million and 12.7 million metric tons of plastic per year make their way into the oceans via people living within 30 miles of a coast. Plastic use costs approximately $75 billion a year [16]. O This requires the usage of 500 million straws, Straws and other items made of plastic are harmful, Every day in the United States. Activists Say Straws Should Be Banned Because They Are a 'Gateway Plastic' Advocates hope a straw ban will be the first step toward broader plastic prohibitions. Without further due, here are the top 3 ways kids can help, Read More 3 Ways Kids can Help the EarthContinue, What Are Microplastics? 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. Unfortunately, such costs are typically not included in most economic analyses, as they are not easy to calculate because the equation would have to involve many indirect variables. Large producers of single-use plastics can make a big environmental impact. This way, disabled people can continue to be served, while also reducing the number of plastic straws that we use. Greentumble was founded in the summer of 2015 by us, Sara and Ovi. Some opposers of the plastic straw ban say that a ban is unlikely to actually help the environment, as plastic straws do not make up a large percentage of plastic in the ocean. Polypropylene is a form of plastic that is frequently used in the production of straws. Plastic bags being the major component of the trash thrown away, most of it ends up on the streets. 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. Theyve even made their way up to the secluded Pyrenees mountain range and down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Considering what important source of food plankton is for many other species, it is clear that plastic gets distributed across the marine ecosystem. The upshot of the Sydney study is that the California bag ban reduced plastic bag consumption by 71.5% - a huge decrease. For example, some disabled people may not be able to properly hold or pick up a cup, so they need to use straws to drink properly. Additionally, someone has to pay the cost of dealing with plastic bags in the waste stream. 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. Spare Yourself the Guilt Trip This Earth DayIts Companies That Need to Clean Up Their Acts, These Fanciful Sea Creatures Were Carried in on the Tide. Once a person gets into the habit of bringing reusable bags when shopping, it is not much of an inconvenience at all. Oil and natural gas are non-renewable fossil fuel-based resources and through their extraction and production, they emit greenhouse gases, which contribute to global climate change. In fact, the global backlash against plastic straws likely started after researchers off the coast of Costa Rica shared a viral video of a sea turtle with a plastic straw stuck up its nose. its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. What about you? It may not seem like much, but when you imagine how many bags they have to provide throughout a year, you will quickly realize that plastic bags are costly. Additionally, plastics in our digestive tract may affect absorption of some important trace elements (like iron) which we need for maintaining proper health [13]. Straws, Ives says, made the perfect target: too inconsequential to really be missed but so ubiquitous that their absence would be noticed. Which brings us to the second part. Do you also have that overflowing kitchen drawer full of plastic bags you bring from your shopping trips? 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. Straws are said to be one of the top 10 objects recovered during beach clean-ups by the Ocean Conservancy. Straws have been found stuck in a sea turtle's nose and wedged in the stomachs of dead birds and dolphins. 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. Another example of a locally issued ban is Seattle where not only single-use plastic bags have been banned but also single-use compostable and biodegradable bags. Petroleum-based plastic bags are composed of very resistant synthetic polymers that may take up to 1,000 years or never until they completely degrade in natural environments [6]. In Ireland, where this fee was instituted in 2002, plastic bag usage decreased by about 90 percent. According to the United States National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, microplastics are so small that they move straight through water filtration, Read More What Are Microplastics and Why Are They a Concern? Many of you may have heard it already. And the recent fracking boom, resulting in a surplus of oil, is fueling a subsequent rise in cracker plants, too. Let us know if you liked this article. Only then would a plastic straw ban be able to actually help preserve the environment. But a whopping 91 percent of all plastic isnt recycled at all. According to a study that was published by Bloomberg News, it is predicted that the percentage of contaminated ocean water that is caused by plastic straws and stirrers is a shockingly modest 0.03 percent. by TFK Kid Reporter Maria Suarez, 10 Bellaire, Texas Plastic straws should not be banned until we can find alternatives that are affordable, environmentally friendly, and acceptable for disabled people. On average, taxpayers end up paying about $88 per year just on plastic bag waste [15]. It's free to sign up and bid on jobs. Some microplastics are even small by design, like the microbeads used in facial scrubs or the microfibers in polyester clothing. Juan Cristobal Cobo/Bloomberg via Getty Images. Exposure to microplastics, as well as the chemicals that are added to plastics during processing, harm our health. 1 producer of plastic waste in the world. Sadly, one of their newly acquired enemies is created by us who should protect them instead. Plastic bags are often mistaken for food by animals, birds, and marine life. However, if a plastic straw ban is properly implemented with education about single-use plastics, then the ban could encourage the public to reduce their usage of other single-use plastics as well. 6461 garfield street hollywood, fl. By comparison, an estimated 46 percent of all pollution in the ocean is made up of lost or abandoned fishing gear (Vox). According to a study carried out in 2013, up to 35 percent of turtle deaths were caused by plastic ingestion and the probability that sea turtles will consume even more plastic increases every year [9]. About half the cost of making biodegradable polymers is the cost of feedstock. Plastic items are more sanitary than other alternatives. Why? Do you wonder why? They prevent millions of tons of plastic from entering the waste stream each year. Es gratis registrarse y presentar tus propuestas laborales. The risk is that banning straws may confer moral license allowing companies and their customers to feel they have done their part. When the monsoon rains start, streets get waterlogged just after the first few minutes because the water cannot pass through clogged sewerage pipes. Although, really, these tips can be used by anyone, not just kids. According to a 2017 study, more than half of non-fiber plastic, which excludes synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon, comes from plastic packaging alone, much of which is for single-use items. Communities and consumers can play vital roles in sparking action. What do the bans accomplish? CRIDDLE:Cost is a huge issue. They're not alone. The first answer to this question that comes to everyones mind is to stop using plastic bags, right? Skip the Straw - Florida Department of Environmental Protection How can you help to ban plastic bags in your area? Though plastica chain of synthetic polymers, essentiallywas invented in the mid-19th century, it wasnt until the 1970s that its popularity skyrocketed. Car Recycling: Everything You Need to Know (With Statistics), Sustainable Diving & Snorkeling: How to Prevent Damage to Marine Ecosystems, What Are Microplastics and Why Are They a Concern? Microplastics are plastic debris that measures less than five millimetres, or 0.2 inches, in diameter. Thanks for signing up. But this comes along with many unanswered questions. Among the U.S. cities to outlaw plastic straws are Malibu, Berkeley, Seattle, and Miami Beach. Killing wildlife 5. This is the case particularly in Southeast Asia, which has begun to import much of the plastic that used to go to China for recycling. It is good for our environment, health and global climate. Tweet, call, or send letters to these companies to ask them to switch to more durable, recyclable, compostable, renewable, and/or recycled-content packaging with less fossil fuelderived plastic. Though plastica chain of synthetic polymers, essentiallywas invented in. 82 percent of the responding food service establishments were aware of the prohibition, and 69 percent of those establishments viewed the ban favorably. 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. New York State and Hawaii just passed theirs, set to go into effect in 2020, and Californias bag ban, which was passed in 2014, has been shown to have reduced plastic bag usage by 85 percent (with some customers opting to pay a 10 cent fee for thicker plastic bags) and has reduced coastal pollution. Oene Moedt-Foto Natura/Minden via National Geographic Images, Major Corporations and Single-Use Plastics, secluded Pyrenees mountain range and down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, and research has suggested that human exposure, 4.8 million and 12.7 million metric tons of plastic, one of the most greenhouse gasintensive industries in the manufacturing sector, could reach 1.34 gigatons per year by 2030, an audit of plastic pollution along coastlines.