update email soon. Instead of searching for another buyer, maybe some soul-searching is in order. American beaver populations are booming in the western United States as conditions grow hotter and drier. Plastic use costs approximately $75 billion a year [16]. Plastic straws shouldn't be banned - The Rubicon Microplastics are plastic debris that measures less than five millimetres, or 0.2 inches, in diameter. keep you informed with the latest alerts and progress reports. This includes grocery plastic bags, Ziplock-type bags, dry cleaning bags and bread bags. How To Make A Bracelet Out Of Plastic String? According to the researchers, the turtle likely mistook the straw for food and swallowed it. 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. Should Plastic be Banned Essay for Students in English - VEDANTU 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. Busca trabajos relacionados con Reasons why smoking should be banned articles o contrata en el mercado de freelancing ms grande del mundo con ms de 22m de trabajos. 2. Banning straws may confer 'moral license' allowing companies and their customers to feel they have done their part. 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]. 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. Should Plastic Straws Be Banned? | Persuasive Writing | Scholastic That's a whole 900 tons of plastic waste produced every day, and that's just for plastic straws! 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. Post date: 18 yesterday. Manufacturers began replacing traditionally paper or glass staples with lighter or more durable and affordable plastic alternatives; plastic jugs replaced milk jars, for instance. Many of you may have heard it already. 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. In countries with a lack of awareness about negative impacts of plastic bags, a polite refusal might not be met with much understanding. We are a couple of environmentalists who seek inspiration for life in simple values based on our love for nature. Disney is eliminating single-use plastic straws and stirrers at all its theme parks, resorts and properties. If it looks clean, smells clean (and sounds clean! Summary: Reduce your use of single-use plastics. Plastic utensils are convenient and straws are fun for kids, but much of that plastic eventually winds up in a landfill or as litter. Other country that has decided to enforce the country-wide plastic bag ban after suffering of negative consequences was Mauritania. If environmental zealots and sycophants get their way, you won't be allowed to sip it through a plastic straw. They're not alone. 5 Metals in your Home that can be Recycled for Cash, How exactly bidets offer a healthier, green option for your bathroom, A Closer Look at General Motors (GM) Sustainability Initiatives. These steps are pretty straight forward and depend on your own initiative. Criddle and Leape are also senior fellows at theStanford Woods Institute for the Environment. By 2030, CEO James Quincey has pledged to use 50 percent recycled material in its bottles and cans and recycle one bottle or can. Fortunately, microorganisms can also use cheap, renewable substrates, such as food wastes, biogas methane, carbon dioxide and renewable hydrogen. If plastic straws are completely banned, local small businesses like boba tea shops will have to look for pricier alternatives. Beyond the costs associated with the production and purchasing of plastic bags by retailers, there are many external costs that are often not considered. Killing wildlife 5. National Geographic made a video on how helpless it feels to be caught in a plastic bag. 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. Will others? Driven by public pressure, governments and corporations are considering eliminating or phasing out single-use plastics such as straws. We've all become too hooked on the availability and comfort of the stuff. It has been projected that, if current trends continue, by 2050 the plastic in the ocean will outweigh the fish. Left alone, plastics dont really break down; they just break up. Here's a quick list of the ways plastic straws may be harming your health: 1. One of the most significant negative effects that plastic bags have on the natural world is that it takes a very long time for them to degrade.In addition, the breakdown of plastic bags in the sun results in the release of hazardous compounds into the surrounding soil, and the combustion of plastic bags results in the release of a poisonous material into the surrounding air, contributing to the problem of ambient air pollution. It is good for our environment, health and global climate. This measure should encourage people to switch to reusable alternatives. [PDF] Skip The Straw - 10 Reasons Fact Sheet - Kids. (Some places are going so far as to ban single-use plastics entirely; most notably, India intends to go this route by 2022.) Stanford experts discuss the limitations of these bans and the potential for meaningful change. So, plastic bag recycling facilities are few and far between and transportation to one could be expensive. 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. We hear everywhere around us that we need to save energy. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Problematic degradation 4. 4. Here are a few more tips for ridding your life (and your community) of single-use plastics for good. Exposure to microplastics, as well as the chemicals that are added to plastics during processing, harm our health. 2023 Get Green Now. The production of these bags is very energy intensive. Shuddering and unable to breathe, he vomited up five plastic bags. 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. However, in 2014, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) supported the first project to calculate the real cost of plastic, including adverse environmental impacts of its production, use and disposal. Growing public concern has inspired movements to ban single-use plastics, most notably straws. Low rated: 2. Do you wonder why? Quick Navigation for Reasons Why Plastic Shopping Bags Should Be Banned REASONS 1. The phthalate DEHP, as just one example from dozens, is often added to plastic goods like shower curtains and garden hoses to make them more flexiblebut was also found to be a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The ban also kept them from littering neighborhoods and the environment. This leaves few other alternatives other than plastic straws. According to market research firms, Americans use about 350 million plastic straws every single day. 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. To date, around 60 countries and municipalities around the world have instituted plastic bag bans, and additional seven countries are planning to enforce the law in the closest future. LEAPE:Plastic straws are only a tiny fraction of the problem less than 1 percent. Pack it alongside reusable cutlery (like wood, bamboo, or metal chopsticks) for sustainable eating on the go. 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.). Why are Plastic Straws Bad and What are the Alernatives? 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. ), then its clean! 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. As it turns out, many microorganisms make moldable bioplastic polymers that are fully degradable. 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. "To us, it was the 'gateway plastic' to the larger, more . They're bad for the environment, kill marine life and damage human health. As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. 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. So that free plastic bag isnt so free after all. Buy in bulk. Getting rid of a single plastic straw may not have a very large effect on the environment. Talk to the owners of the restaurants you frequent. On average, taxpayers end up paying about $88 per year just on plastic bag waste [15]. 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. Nows the Time. 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. . This means that you need to first educate yourself about the problem. 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. Which brings us to the second part. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. They are tinier than a palm of your hand and appear so fragile when struggling across the beach to make it to the sea. Scientists have recorded some species of zooplankton eating tiny plastic particles. You need to know what effects plastic bags have on the environment and health. The resulting number is staggering. Communities and consumers can play vital roles in sparking action. 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. Without further due, here are the top 3 ways kids can help, Read More 3 Ways Kids can Help the EarthContinue, What Are Microplastics? Straws, Ives says, made the perfect target: too inconsequential to really be missed but so ubiquitous that their absence would be noticed. What can I do for you? 10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned Plastic bag litter has even caused great problems in some areas. But, getting rid of all single-use plastics definitely will. 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. Plastic is more sanitary and safer to use than other alternatives. Once a person gets into the habit of bringing reusable bags when shopping, it is not much of an inconvenience at all. 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. Your email address will not be published. Banning Straws and Bags Won't Solve our Plastic Problem Due to its chemistry, nothing in nature can make plastic biodegrade. The single biggest reason why people want to ban plastic straws is because of their negative effects on the environment. Her Stand-Up Paddleboard Is a Platform for Campaigning Against Plastic Pollution, A Growing Concern: Microplastic Pollution on Farm Fields. Plastic straws are also the 6th most common trash item found during ocean cleanups. Lizzie Carr is shining a light on what is floating through the worlds waterways, and breaking athletic records along the way. For example, millions of discarded plastic bags clog water drainage channels and sewers in urban areas of Bangladesh. What about you? Animals can also easily become entangled in this plastic waste. Not easy to recycle 7. 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. The bottom line of any plastic ban is that we must use less single-use plastics overall. 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. Such is the case with many environmental crises: the worst effects are pushed onto overburdened communities with the fewest resources to fight back. We shouldnt ban plastic straws if it creates an accessibility issue. Actress Nina Nelson and other celebrities made a video claiming that plastic. About half the cost of making biodegradable polymers is the cost of feedstock. 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. Buy a metal or bamboo reusable straw. Gas, bloating, and intestinal discomfort. Additionally, plastics in our digestive tract may affect absorption of some important trace elements (like iron) which we need for maintaining proper health [13]. 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. Read more about us. America Needs a Plastics Intervention. Dont re-wash something if you can wear it again. 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. 8 good reasons to give up plastic straws - CareElite The country instituted the ban in 2013 to minimize livestock deaths. The subtropical gyres of the North Pacific Ocean are also documented to contain the highest concentrations of plastic. A straw with our iced coffee, a plastic bag to carry our takeout, a wrapper on a candy bar: taken individually, each seems harmless. And they help shift consumer mind-sets, as people begin to recognize that exorbitant and avoidable waste is not sustainable. Plastic Straws: Is Paper Really Better for the Environment? 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. Straws made of paper are neither recyclable nor capable of decomposition. This way, disabled people can continue to be served, while also reducing the number of plastic straws that we use. You are free to have your own personal opinion on whether or not we should ban plastic straws. Plastic straws are not the first iteration of straws. Thus, plastic straws cant be recycled. Then, you should try to explain your reasons for not wanting your products packed in plastic bags. 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. 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. In fact, plastic straws only make up around 0.03 percent of total plastic waste by mass. For example, a reusable jute bag should last at least 4 years, during which it can prevent the use of 600 single-use plastic bags. Five Reasons Banning Plastics May Harm the Environment and Consumers 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. 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. 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. 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. Single-use plastics are most commonly used for packaging and serviceware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags. Companies are trying to sell communities on a toxic solution to the plastic pollution crisis. Single-Use Plastics 101 | NRDC Try reusable and compostable beeswax wrap for an easy and decorative option. The explanation is quite simple. Natural Resources Defense Council 2023 Privacy Policy Yeah I end up going through like 5 paper straws because they keep disintegrating and I can't drink my drink anymore. The people of Macon, Georgia, saw through it. Tiny plastic particles have been found in human feces. The small pilot whale, found in a Thai canal this past June, is another symptom of a crisis in the worlds oceans. These tiny plastic particles have been found in our oceans, soil, and even in the air. 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. These actions are a response to calls for change and shifting consumer habits. Don't Ban Straws - Reason.com 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. 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. 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. Plastic bags and plastic products overall contain substances that are harmful to our health. 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. 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. There are some great initiatives that strive to provide jobs for women in rural communities with limited possibilities of securing monthly income. Our reliance on these plastics means we are accumulating waste at a staggering rate. The first answer to this question that comes to everyones mind is to stop using plastic bags, right? 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. If there is one piece of advice that everyone should remember, it would be that nothing is for free in this world. LEAPE:There are two clear imperatives. This type of plastic is derived from petroleum. It started with cardboard straws, but once plastic production in America increased, people realized it was quicker and cheaper to produce plastic straws.

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