2. Refineries where crude oil is turned into plastic make up one of the most greenhouse gasintensive industries in the manufacturing sector. Better alternatives are available 10. 1. plastic straws litter our environment Every day, about 3-6 billion plastic straws are produced. Greentumble was founded in the summer of 2015 by us, Sara and Ovi. Banning plastic straws is also increasingly popular. Plastic, in general, is one of the biggest pollutants in the world. Exposure to microplastics, as well as the chemicals that are added to plastics during processing, harm our health. 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. The majority of this pollutiondominated by single-use plastic wastecomes from countries lacking infrastructure to properly manage waste, particularly in Asia. Instead, you are actually reusing a product, and that means that you are utilizing earths resources smartly, while at the same time reducing waste. Plastic utensils are convenient and straws are fun for kids, but much of that plastic eventually winds up in a landfill or as litter. As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. There were numerous cases of birds caught in plastic bags, unable to fly and feed, eventually strangling themselves to death. 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]. Plastic waste that clogs water drainage channels and river tributaries of many Asian cities increases exposure of residents to water-borne diseases, as it creates a toxic soup that remains stranded in one place for prolonged periods of time. 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]. 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. O This requires the usage of 500 million straws, Straws and other items made of plastic are harmful, Every day in the United States. It means that most bags can be recycled. Starting in the 1960s, plastic straw manufacturing took off. Considering what important source of food plankton is for many other species, it is clear that plastic gets distributed across the marine ecosystem. These steps are pretty straight forward and depend on your own initiative. 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. 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. Over time, sun and heat slowly turn plastics into smaller and smaller pieces until they eventually become what are known as microplastics. In fact, I just listed many reasons and points in this article that support both sides of the argument. About half the cost of making biodegradable polymers is the cost of feedstock. Due to its chemistry, nothing in nature can make plastic biodegrade. 13.07.2022 Harry Brown THE TOP 10 REASONS TO DO NOT USE THE STRAW O This requires the usage of 500 million straws Straws and other items made of plastic are harmful Every day in the United States. Only then would a plastic straw ban be able to actually help preserve the environment. Yeah I end up going through like 5 paper straws because they keep disintegrating and I can't drink my drink anymore. 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. Why? 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? In Germany alone, we use 40 billion plastic straws every year. For example, in Botswana, the consumption of plastic bags dropped by 50 percent after the introduction of the tax in 2007. Here are a few more tips for ridding your life (and your community) of single-use plastics for good. A complete ban on plastic straws would harm disabled people, which definitely isnt the goal of such a ban. Will others? 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. 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. 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. All you need to do is paste your ZIP code and then see the list of stores with bag drop-off in your nearest location. Participate in beach or river cleanups. 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. A calf had to be put down because of indigestion caused by 8 plastic bags in its stomach. Es gratis registrarse y presentar tus propuestas laborales. You cannot recycle them in the regular curbside collection of plastic, but you should be able to find many larger food stores and retailers (for example: Target, Walmart, Tesco, Morrisons, etc.) 1. When you sip beverages through a straw you end up inhaling more air into your belly than you would otherwise. In this essay on should plastic be banned, it is very important to put forth the fact that there are many bodies of health and environmental governance around the world who argue that plastic ban can be problematic stating the following reasons-. What Is Plastic Made Of And How Is It Manufactured? 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? Another indirect danger of plastic bags has breeding ground in the pollution they create. 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. We've all become too hooked on the availability and comfort of the stuff. The first answer to this question that comes to everyones mind is to stop using plastic bags, right? Such is the case with many environmental crises: the worst effects are pushed onto overburdened communities with the fewest resources to fight back. Communities and consumers can play vital roles in sparking action. Plastic bag litter has even caused great problems in some areas. The production of these bags is very energy intensive. Or you may need to accept that plastic bag this time and then start campaigning for a plastic bag ban in your area . Rating: 5 (913 reviews) Highest rating: 5. You can be sure of one thing, though. Our goal is to inspire people to change their attitudes and behaviors toward a more sustainable life. Animals can also easily become entangled in this plastic waste. You'll receive your first NRDC action alert and This is due to the fact that the plastic tubes are far too lightweight to be recycled in an efficient manner. What never leaves, Read More Sustainable Diving & Snorkeling: How to Prevent Damage to Marine EcosystemsContinue, Top 3 Ways Kids can Help the Earth! India, for example, generates 25,940 tons of plastic waste every day but collects only 60 percent of 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 Growing public concern has inspired movements to ban single-use plastics, most notably straws. 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. Straws don't provide as much utility as bags, so for many this is an easy adjustment. 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. The people of Macon, Georgia, saw through it. Our plastic addiction is having a devastating impact on our oceans, our wildlife, and our health. Low rated: 2. About; Disability Vote Blog; Organizer's Forum; Issues; News; NDLA Webinars Paper vs. Recycling more plastic, more frequently, reduces its footprint. Plastics also permeate freshwater systems like rivers and streams. But you should also consider the other perspective what effect single-use bags have had on the local economy and product affordability. A Ban Could Harm Local Businesses If This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. As it turns out, many microorganisms make moldable bioplastic polymers that are fully degradable. These tiny plastic particles have been found in our oceans, soil, and even in the air. (Photo credit: Shutterstock). Not only does the waste destroy the land itself, but when plastic is incinerated (as is the case for unrecyclable plastic at some illegal facilities) its toxic fumes quickly become a health hazard for residents, leading to everything from skin rashes to cancer. 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. Natural Resources Defense Council 2023 Privacy Policy That is why the United Nations Environmental Programme Secretariat has recommended a ban on all plastic bags globally. As a result, the ban will reduce the number of plastic straws polluting the ocean. Once a paper product has been contaminated with food or drink, it must be disposed of in a landfill. You as an individual have the power to make a gradual change in your community. Do you also have that overflowing kitchen drawer full of plastic bags you bring from your shopping trips? 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. According to estimates made by scientists, there are 7.5 million polluting straws around the shores of the United States, and anywhere from 437 million to 8.3 billion plastic straws throughout the coastlines of the rest of the globe. By 2030, CEO James Quincey has pledged to use 50 percent recycled material in its bottles and cans and recycle one bottle or can. According to market research firms, Americans use about 350 million plastic straws every single day. Even when you dont see it, these indestructible particles are everywhere around us, including in the food chain. 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. If plastic straws are completely banned, local small businesses like boba tea shops will have to look for pricier alternatives. 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. Sadly, one of their newly acquired enemies is created by us who should protect them instead. 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. Plastic bags. 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. Stanford experts discuss the limitations of these bans and the potential for meaningful change. 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. Consumer outrage about the plastics crisis is already commanding attention from big companies and from many governments. Even if plastic doesnt end up in the ocean, recycled plastic is often exported from high-income countries to developing countries to process. The first is to invest in better waste collection in the handful of countries that account for most of the plastic flowing into the ocean. All Rights Reserved. The majority of plastic bags are made of polyethylene, a substance that is derived from crude oil refining and natural gas processing. 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. Polypropylene is a form of plastic that is frequently used in the production of straws. However, I do believe that we should limit our use of plastic straws by asking businesses to only give out straws on request. On average, plastic bags cost retailers about 3-5 cents each. You could either discuss with a store manager a possibility of bringing your own containers for these products. 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. For wildlife, microplastics can be particularly dangerous; when eaten they can easily accumulate inside an animals body and cause health issues, like punctured organs or fatal intestinal blockages. The bottom line of any plastic ban is that we must use less single-use plastics overall. What Does the Plastic Bag Ban Mean for New Yorkers? Have some dirty clothes that you just wore today? And recent studies found plastic in the guts of 90 percent of the seabirds tested and 100 percent of the turtles. 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. These examples could go on for a long time. Alarmingly, scientists estimate that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by weight in 2050. However, we are all too familiar with situations when a cashier automatically puts your items in a plastic bag before you can oppose it. 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 straw with our iced coffee, a plastic bag to carry our takeout, a wrapper on a candy bar: taken individually, each seems harmless. NDLA National Disability Leadership Alliance: Nothing About Us Without Us. Avoid plastic wrap altogether by storing leftovers in reusable containers. The ban also kept them from littering neighborhoods and the environment. Forty years after the launch of the first universal recycling symbol, only 14 percent of plastic packaging is recycled. This strategy has been adopted by some countries and municipalities so far and has proven to greatly reduce plastic bag usage by consumers. There are numerous reasons why PLA straws are not the right substitute for plastic straws . 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. Single-use plastics are most commonly used for packaging and serviceware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags. PLASTIC STRAWS CANT BE BROKEN DOWN BY NATURE. If you are constantly feeling gassy, then you should definitely consider drinking beverages the old fashioned way. 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.). Globally, 8 to 10 percent of our current oil supply goes to a plastic bag manufacture [4]. Plastic straws (like most plastic) are non-biodegradable, meaning that it cant be naturally broken down by decomposers. Have a look yourself to imagine the suffering of these animals. (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. 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. But single-use plastics come with a steep environmental priceone that well be paying off for millennia. 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 risk is that banning straws may confer moral license allowing companies and their customers to feel they have done their part. You are free to have your own personal opinion on whether or not we should ban plastic straws. In fact, plastic straws only make up around 0.03 percent of total plastic waste by mass. The consumed plastic congests the digestive tracts of these animals, and can lead to health issues such as infections, painful intestinal blockage, starvation or death by suffocation. 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. Disney is eliminating single-use plastic straws and stirrers at all its theme parks, resorts and properties. At the beginning of July 2018, Seattle became the largest U.S. city to ban plastic straws. InCalifornia, a bill to ban straws unless requested at dine-in restaurants is awaiting a signature from the governor. They contribute to the contamination of our landfills and seas when they are discarded after use. Additionally, a plastic straw ban could also act as a gateway into other single-use plastic bans for items like plastic bottles and plastic bags, which are worse for the environment than plastic straws. 6461 garfield street hollywood, fl. Some experts estimate that more than 1 million sea animals are killed each year by straws and other types of plastic trash. Help raise awareness of fellow consumers that means everyone when you think about it (unless they dont shopever). The cashier usually understands, only had to do what instructed and what most customers expect (unfortunately) from him or her. 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). 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. 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). Most drop-off collection points accept plastic bags made from high-density polyethylene (plastic number 2) and low-density polyethylene (plastic number 4). Increased awareness about the negative effects of single-use plastics would help the environment a lot more than just a simple plastic straw ban. And cracker plantswhich break, or crack, ethane molecules, a component of natural gas, into the chemical building blocks of plastic productsare energy intensive and highly polluting. Its because Asian and US coastlines release large amounts of plastic waste in the ocean [7]. (Everything You Need To Know). What can I do for you? Reduce Aesthetic value of your neighborhood. 1 producer of plastic waste in the world. Accompanied by high social accountability and musical garbage trucks, that strategy has proved wildly effective: the island now reports recycling rates above 50 percent. There are definitely differing opinions on whether or not plastic straws should be banned. The subtropical gyres of the North Pacific Ocean are also documented to contain the highest concentrations of plastic. Will Shifting to Reusable Straws Really Make a Difference? 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. Communities with good awareness about negative impacts of plastic bags have been more successful at enforcing the ban [20]. Once a person gets into the habit of bringing reusable bags when shopping, it is not much of an inconvenience at all. As a result, the actual recycling rate for plastic bags globally is between 5 to 15 percent, while in the United States it makes only 1 percent a year [17]. For many in the disabled community, the availability of plastic straws is essential for their well-being and survival. Plastic bags floating in the ocean resemble jellyfish, one of the main sources of food for some species of sea turtles, especially the critically-endangered Leatherback turtles. Theyve even made their way up to the secluded Pyrenees mountain range and down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. 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. update email soon. Sugar and oils are too expensive. LEAPE:Microplastics pervade the oceans. (Some places are going so far as to ban single-use plastics entirely; most notably, India intends to go this route by 2022.) To make matters worse, if plastic straws get into the ocean, they can be mistaken for food by marine animals. Car Modifications for Electric Vehicles: Whats Possible. In Taiwan, which was once overflowing with so much trash that it spurred public protest and the nickname Garbage Island, companies now either manage their own waste or subsidize government-run infrastructure. So, retailers incorporate this cost hiddenly into prices of other items sold at stores. 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. 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. 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. 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. Buying a product through my link comes at no extra cost to you, and I only recommend products that I believe in. Unfortunately, such a high level of pollution doesnt come without consequences. Post date: 18 yesterday. A last example of a true horror caused by plastic has been discovered just recently.
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10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned
