10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned
Lizzie Carr is shining a light on what is floating through the worlds waterways, and breaking athletic records along the way. 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 Quick Navigation for Reasons Why Plastic Shopping Bags Should Be Banned REASONS 1. In my opinion, plastic straws should not be banned outright, because many disabled people require plastic straws to drink. 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. Due to its chemistry, nothing in nature can make plastic biodegrade. 1. plastic straws litter our environment Every day, about 3-6 billion plastic straws are produced. Straws have been found stuck in a sea turtle's nose and wedged in the stomachs of dead birds and dolphins. How Plastic Bottles Become Death Traps for Hermit Crabs. Read more about us. 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. Let companies that make your favorite products know that you care about the packaging. Car Modifications for Electric Vehicles: Whats Possible. 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]. We should do likewise. The first answer to this question that comes to everyones mind is to stop using plastic bags, right? The country instituted the ban in 2013 to minimize livestock deaths. For example, millions of discarded plastic bags clog water drainage channels and sewers in urban areas of Bangladesh. Its Plastic Incineration. In Germany alone, we use 40 billion plastic straws every year. Reduce Aesthetic value of your neighborhood. 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-. For many of us it is hard to imagine that something as small as a plastic bag can actually cause flooding, but residents of some cities in Bangladesh have been struggling with this problem every monsoon season for the past two decades [3]. Plastic use costs approximately $75 billion a year [16]. Even if plastic doesnt end up in the ocean, recycled plastic is often exported from high-income countries to developing countries to process. Criddle and Leape are also senior fellows at theStanford Woods Institute for the Environment. Some tributaries of the river have been filled with plastic waste to the level that you could almost walk across them without getting your feet wet. Our plastic addiction is having a devastating impact on our oceans, our wildlife, and our health. 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]. Banning plastic straws is also increasingly popular. Plastic straws (like most plastic) are non-biodegradable, meaning that it cant be naturally broken down by decomposers. 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. 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. Stanford experts discuss the limitations of these bans and the potential for meaningful change. Thus, plastic straws cant be recycled. In effect, nature has designed this plastic for disassembly. female pomeranian temperament; splinterlands terms and conditions; carbon emissions data by company; ( ) + . Have some dirty clothes that you just wore today? To make matters worse, if plastic straws get into the ocean, they can be mistaken for food by marine animals. Individual actions can lead to collective actions. It has been projected that, if current trends continue, by 2050 the plastic in the ocean will outweigh the fish. While an extra two cents may not seem like a lot, it could make a difference for some businesses that depend on plastic straws. We do not know the full impact of microplastics exceeding the mass of plankton in the ocean. 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]. Hi, Im Hugh, and my mission with Get Green Now is to raise awareness of environmental issues and teach people how to live sustainably. 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. its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. When the monsoon rains start, streets get waterlogged just after the first few minutes because the water cannot pass through clogged sewerage pipes. We shouldnt ban plastic straws if it creates an accessibility issue. A complete ban on plastic straws would harm disabled people, which definitely isnt the goal of such a ban. For most, straws are not a necessity, but a convenience. High costs for cleanup 8. Many of you may have heard it already. Not easy to recycle 7. You are free to have your own personal opinion on whether or not we should ban plastic straws. Alternatives to plastic straws, such as paper, may not always be effective for disabled people: paper can be bitten through or broken easily. The trend has already started. It was first invented in 1907 by Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland. The Pasig River is the eight worst source of ocean plastic pollution in the world. Most drop-off collection points accept plastic bags made from high-density polyethylene (plastic number 2) and low-density polyethylene (plastic number 4). Juan Cristobal Cobo/Bloomberg via Getty Images. Scientists are showing that we are sending tons of tiny plastic particles into our soils each year, potentially affecting crops and our health. The subtropical gyres of the North Pacific Ocean are also documented to contain the highest concentrations of plastic. What to do with plastic bags you already have at home? Plastic straws have an especially high propensity to end up in our rivers after being thrown away. All Rights Reserved. Nearly 20 years ago, a dead pelican was found with its stomach filled with 17 plastic bags [10]. Yes, it should. McDonalds swapped its plastic straws for paper at its United Kingdom and Ireland restaurants. Will Shifting to Reusable Straws Really Make a Difference? What Does the Plastic Bag Ban Mean for New Yorkers? The most common are inorganic dyes that are added to change the color of plastic bags. They discovered that Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestl products were found most often. 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. And when it comes to waste that lasts forever, every ton counts. Talk to the owners of the restaurants you frequent. 12 Reasons for Banning Plastic Bags: Plastic Bags Are Made With Non-Renewable Energy Plastic Bags Use Up Lots Of Energy Plastic Bags End Up In The Ocean Beach Plastic Litter Is On The Rise Plastic Bags Kill Millions Of Animals Every Year Plastic Takes A Long Time To Disintegrate Plastic Is Harming The Ocean's Coral Plastic Bags Contain Toxins 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. We add another 8 million tons each year thats about five grocery bags full of plastic waste on every foot of shoreline around the world, according to a recent study. The answer isnt as simple as you may think: While its true that paper straws arent as harmful as plastic straws, this doesnt mean that, Read More Paper vs. Communities with good awareness about negative impacts of plastic bags have been more successful at enforcing the ban [20]. Quick Navigation for Reasons Why Plastic Shopping Bags Should Be Banned, [1] https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/25496/singleUsePlastic_sustainability.pdf, [2] https://www.eco-business.com/opinion/getting-rid-of-plastic-bags-a-windfall-for-supermarkets-but-it-wont-do-much-for-the-environment/, [3] https://www.thethirdpole.net/en/2018/04/09/plastic-chokes-dhakas-drainage/, [4] https://1bagatatime.com/learn/plastic-bags-petroleum/, [5] https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=2935417&page=1, [6] https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/06/plastic-planet-waste-pollution-trash-crisis/, [7] https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/10/12/124006/pdf, [8] https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/blogs/rare-sea-turtles-eating-plastic-at-record-rate, [9] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cobi.12126, [10] http://www.prijatelji-zivotinja.hr/index.en.php?id=934, [11] http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2008/12/plastic-bags-and-animals-making-the-wild-safe-for-wildlife/, [12] http://science.sciencemag.org/content/359/6374/460, [13] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/22/microplastics-found-in-human-stools-for-the-first-time, [14] https://1bagatatime.com/learn/plastic-bag-clean-costs/, [15] http://www.bagmonster.com/2010/04/the-true-cost-of-single-use-bags.html, [16] http://www.cep.unep.org/cep-documents/unep-press-release-on-the-effects-of-plastic-waste-on-marine-ecosystems.pdf, [17] https://greentumble.com/can-plastic-bags-be-recycled/, [18] https://1bagatatime.com/learn/plastic-bag-clean-costs/, [19] https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/how-many-countries-are-in-the-world.html, [20] https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/25496/singleUsePlastic_sustainability.pdf. Straws made of plastic contribute to the pollution of our seas and streams. 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]. The cashier usually understands, only had to do what instructed and what most customers expect (unfortunately) from him or her. 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. The risk is that banning straws may confer moral license allowing companies and their customers to feel they have done their part. 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. [PDF] Skip The Straw - 10 Reasons Fact Sheet - Kids. Do you also have that overflowing kitchen drawer full of plastic bags you bring from your shopping trips? There are some great initiatives that strive to provide jobs for women in rural communities with limited possibilities of securing monthly income. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. There were numerous cases of birds caught in plastic bags, unable to fly and feed, eventually strangling themselves to death. 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. 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. 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. About half the cost of making biodegradable polymers is the cost of feedstock. Cause of environmental pollution 2. While we may not pay for plastic bags directly when we go shopping, they are anything but free.. The Pasig River in the Philippines is another scary example of the negative effects of plastic bags on the environment. Among the U.S. cities to outlaw plastic straws are Malibu, Berkeley, Seattle, and Miami Beach. LEAPE:Microplastics pervade the oceans. So that free plastic bag isnt so free after all. This means that the average consumption of plastic bags per person dropped from 328 bags per year to just 21 [20]. As for reusable straws, they arent flexible as plastic ones and can be easily forgotten at home. 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. Plastic straws only account for roughly one percent of the total amount of waste plastic found in the ocean. And the recent fracking boom, resulting in a surplus of oil, is fueling a subsequent rise in cracker plants, too. Help us break the cycle of causing unnecessary harm and damage in the name of "convenience". Ask if they have nonplastic alternatives to plastic straws, stirrers, or bags. Plastic bag litter has even caused great problems in some areas. 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. The inaccuracy of this number calls into doubt the veracity of the overall case against using plastic straws as a drinking implement. Thats a promising start. The people of Macon, Georgia, saw through it. LEAPE:Plastic straws are only a tiny fraction of the problem less than 1 percent. As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. And they help shift consumer mind-sets, as people begin to recognize that exorbitant and avoidable waste is not sustainable. 2. 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. Nows the Time. 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. 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. Start from yourself and slowly expand to your family and friends. Actress Nina Nelson and other celebrities made a video claiming that plastic. It is possible to enhance ones risk of developing cavities by using a straw while consuming liquids that are either sweet or acidic. Ms. LISA PAI . We need to make fully biodegradable polymers that are cost-competitive. 4. (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. So, plastic waste only speeds up the destruction of these most biodiverse ecosystems on earth. PLASTIC STRAWS CANT BE BROKEN DOWN BY NATURE. Plastic bags. They store these polymers inside their cells as tiny granules. Many people with disabilities rely on flexible straws to drink safely and independently. Plastic bags being the major component of the trash thrown away, most of it ends up on the streets. Ultimately, we can further decrease costs and achieve economies of scale through decentralized production systems and perhaps also at large biorefineries. Banning straws may confer 'moral license' allowing companies and their customers to feel they have done their part. 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. 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. 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. and reefs composed of coral, F) I Plastic straws are one of the top five most often used items. They suspect that it may add stress on the liver by introducing more pathogens into the body. At the beginning of July 2018, Seattle became the largest U.S. city to ban plastic straws. Sea turtles are not the only species suffering from plastic bag pollution of the environment. Plastic straws are also the 6th most common trash item found during ocean cleanups. By comparison, an estimated 46 percent of all pollution in the ocean is made up of lost or abandoned fishing gear (Vox). Plastic Straws: Is Paper Really Better for the Environment?Continue. 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. Here are 3 reasons why plastic straws should not be banned, explained in a simple and easy-to-understand manner: 1. Companies are trying to sell communities on a toxic solution to the plastic pollution crisis. How? These steps are pretty straight forward and depend on your own initiative. 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.) Growing public concern has inspired movements to ban single-use plastics, most notably straws. You can be sure of one thing, though. CRIDDLE:Cost is a huge issue.
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