10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned

Scientists have recorded some species of zooplankton eating tiny plastic particles. LEAPE:Microplastics pervade the oceans. 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]. An outright ban on plastic straws would create an accessibility problem for disabled people while dining in public. As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. It was first invented in 1907 by Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland. Which brings us to the second part. 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. These pieces can be so small that they are invisible to our eye. National Geographic made a video on how helpless it feels to be caught in a plastic bag. Help us break the cycle of causing unnecessary harm and damage in the name of "convenience". Paper vs. The manufacturing of reusable bags or compostable alternatives to plastic bags offers a new opportunity to create sustainable products and provide jobs that go with them. Consumer outrage about the plastics crisis is already commanding attention from big companies and from many governments. Leape has long been a leader in ocean conservation efforts. We should also try to give up plastic straws if we are capable of doing so. 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 Earth's ocean surface. The crisis is so serious that many people are saying that plastic straws should be outlawed. 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. Increased awareness about the negative effects of single-use plastics would help the environment a lot more than just a simple plastic straw ban. For many in the disabled community, the availability of plastic straws is essential for their well-being and survival. CRIDDLE:We need to think about what incentives will promote a culture of recycling and innovation with respect to waste streams. Skip the Straw - Florida Department of Environmental Protection Prior the ban, 70 percent of livestock losses were attributed to plastic bag ingestion. Nearly 20 years ago, a dead pelican was found with its stomach filled with 17 plastic bags [10]. What do the bans accomplish? The single biggest reason why people want to ban plastic straws is because of their negative effects on the environment. When you sign up you'll become a member of NRDC's Activist Network. 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. Well, before putting it into the laundry basket, take a look at it closely. These costs include the true environmental costs of resource extraction and depletion, the loss of quality of life, economic loss from littering, and wildlife loss. 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. Yeah I end up going through like 5 paper straws because they keep disintegrating and I can't drink my drink anymore. The process of drilling for plastics source materials, oil and gas, leads to methane leaking and flaring and is often combined with clearing forests and wetlands that otherwise would have sequestered carbon. Companies are trying to sell communities on a toxic solution to the plastic pollution crisis. Look for another place that does accept or use alternative packaging, such as small local stores that use paper wraps or compostable bags. The risk is that banning straws may confer moral license allowing companies and their customers to feel they have done their part. Plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds will no longer be sold in Britain as part of a plan to eradicate "avoidable plastic waste" by 2042, and Prime Minister Theresa May actively called on other leaders in the Commonwealth to implement similar policies. Plastic Straws: Is Paper Really Better for the Environment?Continue. In fact, plastic bags are considered by many recycling facilities the number one contaminant and their removal from the recycling stream costs municipalities close to $1 million a year [18]. Our addiction to plastic also has negative impacts on the climate. The cashier usually understands, only had to do what instructed and what most customers expect (unfortunately) from him or her. When the monsoon rains start, streets get waterlogged just after the first few minutes because the water cannot pass through clogged sewerage pipes. 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. How Plastic Bottles Become Death Traps for Hermit Crabs. "To us, it was the 'gateway plastic' to the larger, more . Starbucks plans to phase out plastic straws by 2020. Coca-Cola makes an estimated 110 billion plastic bottles a year. Getting rid of a single plastic straw may not have a very large effect on the environment. Criddle isdirector of StanfordsCodiga Resource Recovery Center,a member ofStanford Bio-Xand an affiliate of thePrecourt Institute for Energy. It also took 100% of those plastic grocery bags out of the recycling system, where they bound up machinery and increased costs. 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. Starbucks recently announced that it would phase out use of plastic straws by the year 2020. By 2030, CEO James Quincey has pledged to use 50 percent recycled material in its bottles and cans and recycle one bottle or can. Single-use plastics are most commonly used for packaging and serviceware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags. Straws are notorious for being readily blown away by the wind. 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. Most of it is either dumped in landfills or ends up in the ocean. An Oregon community is making spectacular statues out of ocean plastic to raise awareness about a crisis at sea. If the answer is yes, you should know that this inadvertent overconsumption of single-use plastic carries with it a very high cost to the environment, which in turn also negatively affects our health. The truth is that we do not know yet the full scale of negative impacts plastic waste can have on marine and terrestrial environments because it hasnt been around long enough to allow us to assess possible scenarios of its influence on natural cycles. Plastic bags are a convenient way to carry our purchased goods when we go shopping. We hear everywhere around us that we need to save energy. This includes grocery plastic bags, Ziplock-type bags, dry cleaning bags and bread bags. Greentumble was founded in the summer of 2015 by us, Sara and Ovi. 6461 garfield street hollywood, fl. And Starbucks, which uses an estimated one billion plastic straws per year, is phasing them out in favor of paper ones. It is possible to enhance ones risk of developing cavities by using a straw while consuming liquids that are either sweet or acidic. State Disclosures. 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. It has been projected that, if current trends continue, by 2050 the plastic in the ocean will outweigh the fish. About; Disability Vote Blog; Organizer's Forum; Issues; News; NDLA Webinars Once the wheel starts spinning, it leads to even more positive changes. This NRDC.org story is available for online republication by news media outlets or nonprofits under these conditions: The writer(s) must be credited with a byline; you must note prominently that the story was originally published by NRDC.org and link to the original; the story cannot be edited (beyond simple things such as time and place elements, style, and grammar); you cant resell the story in any form or grant republishing rights to other outlets; you cant republish our material wholesale or automaticallyyou need to select stories individually; you can't republish the photos or graphics on our site without specific permission; you should drop us a note to let us know when youve used one of our stories. That is why the United Nations Environmental Programme Secretariat has recommended a ban on all plastic bags globally. Plastic bags. Tiny plastic particles have been found in human feces. In New York, 23 billion plastic bags are used by residents each year. 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. Sadly, one of their newly acquired enemies is created by us who should protect them instead. This includes waste collection, regular cleanups to remove plastic bag litter along the roads or blown away from landfills and then even processing at landfill sites. Put simply, single-use plastics are goods that are made primarily from fossil fuelbased chemicals (petrochemicals) and are meant to be disposed of right after useoften, in mere minutes. 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've all become too hooked on the availability and comfort of the stuff. The second, more fundamental imperative is to get plastics out of our waste stream. In the United States alone, statistics reach up to 12 million barrels of oil that are used each year to produce even more plastic bags 100 billion more, to give you the precise number [5]. Ultimately, we can further decrease costs and achieve economies of scale through decentralized production systems and perhaps also at large biorefineries. 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. O This requires the usage of 500 million straws, Straws and other items made of plastic are harmful, Every day in the United States. Plastic Straws: Is Paper Really Better for the Environment? Unfortunately, such a high level of pollution doesnt come without consequences. Straws don't provide as much utility as bags, so for many this is an easy adjustment. 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. A recent report showed that plastic production contributes to planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions at every point in its life cycle. As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. Even when you dont see it, these indestructible particles are everywhere around us, including in the food chain. 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, offering a natural place to start with low-hanging fruit so long as its part of a much more fundamental shift away from single-use plastics across the value chains of these companies and our economy. Pack it alongside reusable cutlery (like wood, bamboo, or metal chopsticks) for sustainable eating on the go. Gas, bloating, and intestinal discomfort. Martin Grimm/Picture-alliance via Associated Press. Ill also go over whether or not plastic straw bans will actually help the environment, and explain everything else youll need to know. 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. NRDCs Eric Goldstein gives the scoop on the latest environmental villain and explains why plastic straws really are a big menace to our oceans. A study analyzes water transactions that leave water in the river, and shows how they could be scaled up to avert cuts for major water users while supporting imperiled ecosystems. A plastic straw ban could be a good step in the right direction, but we must use less single-use products overall to actually help the environment. 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. Although, really, these tips can be used by anyone, not just kids. In Ireland, where this fee was instituted in 2002, plastic bag usage decreased by about 90 percent. Marine animals bear the burden of this influx of garbage into their habitats. Cause of environmental pollution 2. Left alone, plastics dont really break down; they just break up. 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. 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. Heres everything you need to know before plastic carryout bags disappear from the Empire State on March 1.

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