Buying a product through my link comes at no extra cost to you, and I only recommend products that I believe in. 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? Increased awareness about the negative effects of single-use plastics would help the environment a lot more than just a simple plastic straw ban. While an extra two cents may not seem like a lot, it could make a difference for some businesses that depend on plastic straws. This could negatively reflect on their income. 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. What do the bans accomplish? It has been projected that, if current trends continue, by 2050 the plastic in the ocean will outweigh the fish. You need to know what effects plastic bags have on the environment and health. Marine animals bear the burden of this influx of garbage into their habitats. 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. ), then its clean! . Ms. LISA PAI . Some Disabled People Require Plastic Straws to Drink For some people with disabilities, straws are the only way they. Banning straws may confer 'moral license' allowing companies and their customers to feel they have done their part. This is due to the fact that the plastic tubes are far too lightweight to be recycled in an efficient manner. NRDC scientist Jennifer Sass says yes and debunks the skeptics claim that in trying to wean ourselves off plastic bags, were only creating more troubles. By comparison, an estimated 46 percent of all pollution in the ocean is made up of lost or abandoned fishing gear (Vox). Gas, bloating, and intestinal discomfort. They are also not biodegradable and cannot be broken down naturally by bacteria and other decomposers into non-toxic materials. Cook more often, to reduce your use of plastic-heavy takeout containers. Straws don't provide as much utility as bags, so for many this is an easy adjustment. Ill talk about this more in the next section: By itself, a plastic straw ban is unlikely to have a large impact on the environment. So, plastic bag recycling facilities are few and far between and transportation to one could be expensive. Better alternatives are available 10. Car Modifications for Electric Vehicles: Whats Possible. Her Stand-Up Paddleboard Is a Platform for Campaigning Against Plastic Pollution, A Growing Concern: Microplastic Pollution on Farm Fields. Actress Nina Nelson and other celebrities made a video claiming that plastic. While we may not pay for plastic bags directly when we go shopping, they are anything but free.. 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). Some Disabled People Require Plastic Straws to Drink For some people with disabilities, straws are the only way they can drink. Animals can also easily become entangled in this plastic waste. Plastic straws are one of the most common forms of pollution found on beaches and in oceans all over the world. We produce 300 million tons of plastic each year worldwide, half of which is for single-use items. Such materials already exist in nature. Plastic straws have an especially high propensity to end up in our rivers after being thrown away. 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. If plastic straws are completely banned, local small businesses like boba tea shops will have to look for pricier alternatives. 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. These steps are pretty straight forward and depend on your own initiative. We hear everywhere around us that we need to save energy. Plastic items are more sanitary than other alternatives. You can be sure of one thing, though. But only a few of us realize that each time we accept those disposable plastic grocery bags at store checkout, we actively participate in wasting energy and depleting non-renewable resources. Not only does banning single-use plastic reduce pollution, but it also reduces demand for plastic production thats contributing to global climate change. A Ban Could Harm Local Businesses If On their long journey, they will encounter many difficulties and only a small portion of them will survive. Each year on two far-flung Australian islands, more than half a million hermit crabs die after becoming trapped inside our plastic waste. They end up in the water, eaten by wildlife, and inside our bodies. For example, in Botswana, the consumption of plastic bags dropped by 50 percent after the introduction of the tax in 2007. Nows the Time. 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. Globally, 8 to 10 percent of our current oil supply goes to a plastic bag manufacture [4]. 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. (Everything You Need To Know)Continue, Many restaurants have banned plastic straws due to their harmful effects on the environment, and have switched to paper alternatives instead. 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. Theyre in about a quarter of the seafood in our markets, and even in table salt. America Needs a Plastics Intervention. 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. 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. Lizzie Carr is shining a light on what is floating through the worlds waterways, and breaking athletic records along the way. Do you also have that overflowing kitchen drawer full of plastic bags you bring from your shopping trips? The decrease in demand for plastic bags forces manufacturers to reduce their production and consider expanding in a supply of alternative products. As a result, they are thrown away and frequently wind up in the ocean, where they pollute the water and eventually kill marine birds, animals, and fish. 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. We are a couple of environmentalists who seek inspiration for life in simple values based on our love for nature. There is only one requirement these plastic bags need to be dry and clean, otherwise they contaminate the entire batch and your effort will do more harm than good. Additionally, someone has to pay the cost of dealing with plastic bags in the waste stream. 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. 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. Thats nearly equivalent to the weight of the entire human population. Yes, it should. Your email address will not be published. 1. The Natural Resources Defense Council works to safeguard the earth - its people, China 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned Manufacturers, Supply 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned with High Quality, Wholesale 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned with Low Price, High Quality. 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. Refineries where crude oil is turned into plastic make up one of the most greenhouse gasintensive industries in the manufacturing sector. In the spirit of eliminating waste, plastic straws appeared to be a way to further the cause: straws aren't essential to the dining experience, and by banning them, oceans, streets, and general society would theoretically benefit. A plastic straw ban would serve to reduce the number of plastic straws entering the ocean. According to some estimates, the cost of plastic bag cleanup is about 17 cents per bag [14] and the cost is paid by us once again. Leape has long been a leader in ocean conservation efforts. We need to make fully biodegradable polymers that are cost-competitive. What Does the Plastic Bag Ban Mean for New Yorkers? Plastic, in general, is one of the biggest pollutants in the world. The Pasig River is the eight worst source of ocean plastic pollution in the world. And will a plastic straw ban actually be effective when it comes to saving our oceans and environment? McDonalds swapped its plastic straws for paper at its United Kingdom and Ireland restaurants. 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. 2015-2023 Greentumble. Plastic pollution is one of the biggest problems facing our world today. (Source: Water in the West), Analysis reveals how restoring relatively narrow forest buffers could substantially improve regional water quality and carbon storage in Costa Rica and elsewhere. (Everything You Need To Know). Straws have been found stuck in a sea turtle's nose and wedged in the stomachs of dead birds and dolphins. 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. However, as an environmental enthusiast, heres what I think about this ban. One recent survey found plastics in 94 percent of tap water samples in the U.S. and in nearly every brand of bottled water. These are known to be hormone-disrupting chemicals. Microplastics were found in soft drinks like Coca Cola, in tap water, in seafood It has contaminated our food chain, so it should not surprise us that it can be tracked in our body. 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. Coca-Cola has said that it alone produces three million tons of plastic packaging each year, equivalent to a terrifying 200,000 plastic bottles per minute. It is estimated that there are now 150 million metric tons of plastic in the ocean. Criddle isdirector of StanfordsCodiga Resource Recovery Center,a member ofStanford Bio-Xand an affiliate of thePrecourt Institute for Energy. Policies like bottle bill lawswhich generally require retailers to add a fee on individual bottles, which can then be partially redeemed by customers when they recycleare a way to increase corporate responsibility for waste while providing a monetary incentive to recycle. 82 percent of the responding food service establishments were aware of the prohibition, and 69 percent of those establishments viewed the ban favorably. Since the 1950s, 8.3 billion metric tons of plastics have been produced, and half of that in the past 15 years alone. 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. NDLA National Disability Leadership Alliance: Nothing About Us Without Us. 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.). Have you ever seen endangered sea turtles hatch? There were numerous cases of birds caught in plastic bags, unable to fly and feed, eventually strangling themselves to death. The crucial challenge is to ensure that these bans are just a first step. To make matters worse, if plastic straws get into the ocean, they can be mistaken for food by marine animals. On average, taxpayers end up paying about $88 per year just on plastic bag waste [15]. Facebook; Contact Now . After all, ask your grandparents, they will remember that during their time people were used to go shopping with their own bags or baskets. The majority of this pollutiondominated by single-use plastic wastecomes from countries lacking infrastructure to properly manage waste, particularly in Asia. The most common are inorganic dyes that are added to change the color of plastic bags. Such changes could have outsized benefits for vulnerable populations that rely on rivers for their water supply. LEAPE:Plastic straws are only a tiny fraction of the problem less than 1 percent. The cashier usually understands, only had to do what instructed and what most customers expect (unfortunately) from him or her. Do you wonder why? The country instituted the ban in 2013 to minimize livestock deaths. If we ban single-use plastic straws we will have to turn to the dangerous alternatives.In source According to market research firms, Americans use about 350 million plastic straws every single day. Not easy to recycle 7. They store these polymers inside their cells as tiny granules. 4. Plastic use costs approximately $75 billion a year [16]. 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. Sugar and oils are too expensive. Alarmingly, scientists estimate that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by weight in 2050. Divers, for example, descend 130 feet under the water, seek unique-looking creatures, and observe the marine world in all its glory. 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. 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 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. Other states such as Hawaii, cities such as Seattle and New York, and corporations such as Amazon and Starbucks are also considering or have initiated plastic phase-out plans. 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. Banning plastic straws is also increasingly popular. Prior the ban, 70 percent of livestock losses were attributed to plastic bag ingestion. As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. For most, straws are not a necessity, but a convenience. Individual choicesand the collective shifts they bring aboutadd up quickly. 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. We all know what the debate is between plastic and paper straws but paper straws are horrible they will immediately break apart in your mouth and feel horrible. Plastics also permeate freshwater systems like rivers and streams. Plastic straws are not the first iteration of straws. They contribute to the contamination of our landfills and seas when they are discarded after use. 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. We are working hard to improve our content. Recycling more plastic, more frequently, reduces its footprint. As a result, the ban will reduce the number of plastic straws polluting the ocean. 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. McDonald's recently announced . Overall, the main reason for a plastic straw ban is to help the environment by preventing plastic straws pollution. Have some dirty clothes that you just wore today? Ask if they have nonplastic alternatives to plastic straws, stirrers, or bags. 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. Skip the Straw - Florida Department of Environmental Protection Plastic is more sanitary and safer to use than other alternatives. When you sign up you'll become a member of NRDC's Activist Network. A straw with our iced coffee, a plastic bag to carry our takeout, a wrapper on a candy bar: taken individually, each seems harmless. 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. And Starbucks, which uses an estimated one billion plastic straws per year, is phasing them out in favor of paper ones. Cause of environmental pollution 2. 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. Growing public concern has inspired movements to ban single-use plastics, most notably straws. Even when you dont see it, these indestructible particles are everywhere around us, including in the food chain. About half the cost of making biodegradable polymers is the cost of feedstock. Instead it ends up in landfills or in the environment. What about you? Most retailers will get your point, but it can also happen that they will not be willing to sell you some products without placing it in their plastic bags because of having to oblige with some hygiene and sanitary standards (for example when selling meat products). (Photo credit: Shutterstock). (Its also important to remember that waste management is just one part of the global materials cycle. 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. Making just one simple swap, like purchasing a reusable water bottle, can spare the environment hundreds of plastic bottles each year. Paper straws cost on average around 2.5 cents ($0.025), whereas plastic straws cost only half a cent ($0.005). 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. Our reliance on these plastics means we are accumulating waste at a staggering rate. Alternatives to plastic straws, such as paper, may not always be effective for disabled people: paper can be bitten through or broken easily. PLASTIC STRAWS CANT BE BROKEN DOWN BY NATURE. Hi, Im Hugh, and my mission with Get Green Now is to raise awareness of environmental issues and teach people how to live sustainably. Criddle and Leape are also senior fellows at theStanford Woods Institute for the Environment. 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. 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. A calf had to be put down because of indigestion caused by 8 plastic bags in its stomach. Required fields are marked *. The bottom line of any plastic ban is that we must use less single-use plastics overall. They're not alone. These pieces can be so small that they are invisible to our eye. It is predicted that each year 8 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean, with 1.152.41 tons of that plastic being carried there by major rivers all over the world. 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. The people of Macon, Georgia, saw through it. 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. The second, more fundamental imperative is to get plastics out of our waste stream. 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? Why? Using these non-renewable resources to make plastic bags is very short-sighted, considering that the typical useful life of each plastic bag is about 12 minutes and that the worlds oil reserves contain enough oil to cover our needs through 2050, as the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates. You could either discuss with a store manager a possibility of bringing your own containers for these products. Martin Grimm/Picture-alliance via Associated Press. These examples could go on for a long time. 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 . An outright ban on plastic straws would create an accessibility problem for disabled people while dining in public. "To us, it was the 'gateway plastic' to the larger, more . At the beginning of July 2018, Seattle became the largest U.S. city to ban plastic straws. It's free to sign up and bid on jobs. This measure should encourage people to switch to reusable alternatives. CRIDDLE:We need to think about what incentives will promote a culture of recycling and innovation with respect to waste streams. Once a paper product has been contaminated with food or drink, it must be disposed of in a landfill. Will Shifting to Reusable Straws Really Make a Difference? Overall, the goal of a plastic straw ban should be to increase public awareness for single-use plastics and their nasty effects on the environment. The most heartbreaking part of this is that the affected animals are not aware they eat something that will make them feel miserable and will slowly kill them. Look for another place that does accept or use alternative packaging, such as small local stores that use paper wraps or compostable bags. Thanks for signing up. Summary: Reduce your use of single-use plastics. This ban has led to an increase in the demand for sustainable plastic alternatives and has also created space for several plant-based materials in the market.
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