10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned 10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned

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. It's free to sign up and bid on jobs. Not easy to recycle 7. These examples could go on for a long time. 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. 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. 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. Avoid individually packaged goods, like snack packs. JIM LEAPE: Our oceans are currently swimming with plastics. The subtropical gyres of the North Pacific Ocean are also documented to contain the highest concentrations of plastic. Ban of Plastic Can be Problematic. Plastics bags are not so much necessary that man cannot live without it. Shuddering and unable to breathe, he vomited up five plastic bags. By simply using less plastic, you can help keep marine life from eating and getting entangled in garbage. Thus, plastic straws cant be recycled. Divers, for example, descend 130 feet under the water, seek unique-looking creatures, and observe the marine world in all its glory. Learn how your comment data is processed. Because they are so lightweight, plastic bags get easily picked up by wind and travel long distances by wind and water to pollute the nature. Thats a promising start. Speak out in support of local plastic bans, whether by calling your local government representative, submitting an op-ed to your citys newspaper, or simply starting conversations with neighbors. Straws have been found stuck in a sea turtle's nose and wedged in the stomachs of dead birds and dolphins. But, are paper straws really better for the environment? Considering what important source of food plankton is for many other species, it is clear that plastic gets distributed across the marine ecosystem. America Needs a Plastics Intervention. There were numerous cases of birds caught in plastic bags, unable to fly and feed, eventually strangling themselves to death. The very best alternative is a reusable bag. A last example of a true horror caused by plastic has been discovered just recently. Plastic bags being the major component of the trash thrown away, most of it ends up on the streets. As it turns out, many microorganisms make moldable bioplastic polymers that are fully degradable. What Is Plastic Made Of And How Is It Manufactured? Our goal is to inspire people to change their attitudes and behaviors toward a more sustainable life. 2. 2. What is the root of the problem (consumers or municipal waste management)? 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. Buying a product through my link comes at no extra cost to you, and I only recommend products that I believe in. Once a paper product has been contaminated with food or drink, it must be disposed of in a landfill. There are definitely differing opinions on whether or not plastic straws should be banned. 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. 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. Avoid plastic wrap altogether by storing leftovers in reusable containers. edinburgh airport address. It is estimated that there are now 150 million metric tons of plastic in the ocean. 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned? Starbucks plans to phase out plastic straws by 2020. This is due to the fact that the plastic tubes are far too lightweight to be recycled in an efficient manner. Well, a possible alternative solution could be to encourage businesses to only give out plastic straws on request. We've all become too hooked on the availability and comfort of the stuff. Individual choicesand the collective shifts they bring aboutadd up quickly. 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. 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. We dont know how it will in the long term affect plankton-feeding species and their predators. This type of plastic is derived from petroleum. We should just stick to plastic. As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. 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. Why Plastic Bags And Straws Should Not Be Banned The risk is that banning straws may confer moral license allowing companies and their customers to feel they have done their part. Search for jobs related to Reasons why smoking should be banned articles or hire on the world's largest freelancing marketplace with 22m+ jobs. Some companies are taking initiative on their own. We shouldnt ban plastic straws if it creates an accessibility issue. Plastic items are more sanitary than other alternatives. Recycling more plastic, more frequently, reduces its footprint. Or you may need to accept that plastic bag this time and then start campaigning for a plastic bag ban in your area . In 2015 a mere 24 of these ethane cracker facilities in the United States had the combined carbon output of 3.8 million passenger vehicles. The cashier usually understands, only had to do what instructed and what most customers expect (unfortunately) from him or her. Although, really, these tips can be used by anyone, not just kids. Hi, Im Hugh, and my mission with Get Green Now is to raise awareness of environmental issues and teach people how to live sustainably. We use them to drink beverages at home and we get them at almost every restaurant. In countries with a lack of awareness about negative impacts of plastic bags, a polite refusal might not be met with much understanding. Single-Use Plastics 101 | NRDC At the beginning of July 2018, Seattle became the largest U.S. city to ban plastic straws. 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. So, plastic bag recycling facilities are few and far between and transportation to one could be expensive. The reason to worry is that scientists do not know how our metabolism and immunity will react to the increased concentration of plastic particles in our system. Polypropylene is a form of plastic that is frequently used in the production of straws. Most drop-off collection points accept plastic bags made from high-density polyethylene (plastic number 2) and low-density polyethylene (plastic number 4). Even if you can't go zero waste entirely, it's high time we all ended our reliance on single use plastics. 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? 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 Our reliance on these plastics means we are accumulating waste at a staggering rate. Then, they have a propensity to break down into microplastics, which then clutter the ecosystems in question. 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. Tiny plastic particles have been found in human feces. 1. Coca-Cola makes an estimated 110 billion plastic bottles a year. On average, plastic bags cost retailers about 3-5 cents each. Plastic bags and plastic products overall contain substances that are harmful to our health. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. They contribute to the contamination of our landfills and seas when they are discarded after use. Plastic straws shouldn't be banned - The Rubicon 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. As plastic bags are not disposed properly . 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. We should also try to give up plastic straws if we are capable of doing so. In effect, nature has designed this plastic for disassembly. 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]. Made from fossil fuels 3. The explanation is quite simple. Such is the case with many environmental crises: the worst effects are pushed onto overburdened communities with the fewest resources to fight back. Reduce Aesthetic value of your neighborhood. 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. Theyve even made their way up to the secluded Pyrenees mountain range and down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Criddle has evaluated use of microorganisms to biodegrade plastic materials and to synthesize biodegradable bioplastics from waste feedstocks. 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. If it looks clean, smells clean (and sounds clean! Consumer outrage about the plastics crisis is already commanding attention from big companies and from many governments. This means that the average consumption of plastic bags per person dropped from 328 bags per year to just 21 [20]. Plastic use costs approximately $75 billion a year [16]. 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. Talk to the owners of the restaurants you frequent. 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 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. Sugar and oils are too expensive. 10 Reasons You Should Give Up Plastic Straws - sustainablemotown The country instituted the ban in 2013 to minimize livestock deaths. Here are 3 reasons why plastic straws should not be banned, explained in a simple and easy-to-understand manner: 1. Criddle and Leape are also senior fellows at theStanford Woods Institute for the Environment. For most, straws are not a necessity, but a convenience. 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. This means that you are not consuming more resources every time you need to carry your groceries home. Some Disabled People Require Plastic Straws to Drink For some people with disabilities, straws are the only way they can drink. 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. (Photo credit: Shutterstock). Our plastic addiction is having a devastating impact on our oceans, our wildlife, and our health. 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. 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. Please share this message with your friends so that together, we can tackle our global plastic problem. When you sip beverages through a straw you end up inhaling more air into your belly than you would otherwise. Most of it is either dumped in landfills or ends up in the ocean. Paper straws cannot be recycled in any way. Low rated: 2. Fortunately, microorganisms can also use cheap, renewable substrates, such as food wastes, biogas methane, carbon dioxide and renewable hydrogen. Plastic Straws: Is Paper Really Better for the Environment?Continue. A straw with our iced coffee, a plastic bag to carry our takeout, a wrapper on a candy bar: taken individually, each seems harmless. 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. In fact, I just listed many reasons and points in this article that support both sides of the argument. We should do likewise. Ms. LISA PAI . [PDF] Skip The Straw - 10 Reasons Fact Sheet - Kids. Increased awareness about the negative effects of single-use plastics would help the environment a lot more than just a simple plastic straw ban. LEAPE:Microplastics pervade the oceans. Those global companies can be important levers in driving change and shifting to a regenerative, circular economy. Scientists are showing that we are sending tons of tiny plastic particles into our soils each year, potentially affecting crops and our health. 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). For example, millions of discarded plastic bags clog water drainage channels and sewers in urban areas of Bangladesh. Animals can also easily become entangled in this plastic waste. In my opinion, plastic straws should not be banned outright, because many disabled people require plastic straws to drink. 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. This blog covers a variety of topics including plastic pollution, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and much more. 10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned - maktabyar.org A calf had to be put down because of indigestion caused by 8 plastic bags in its stomach. Microplastics are plastic debris that measures less than five millimetres, or 0.2 inches, in diameter. In fact, it is estimated that up to 10 million plastic bags are used every minute around the world [1]. It also took 100% of those plastic grocery bags out of the recycling system, where they bound up machinery and increased costs. Better alternatives are available 10. 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]. LEAPE:There are two clear imperatives. Rating: 5 (913 reviews) Highest rating: 5. 2. The Pasig River is the eight worst source of ocean plastic pollution in the world. Tushy Ace Review (After 3 Months): Is this Luxury Bidet Worth it? 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. (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. 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. Since plastic bag recycling requires a specialized equipment that can break down the plastic and mold it into a new product, most municipalities do not have the budget to include their recycling in their waste management program. 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. Plastic bags have become such a nuisance because we as consumers use them excessively even when not needed and authorities havent figured out effective ways of dealing with them as waste. More and more states are looking to pass a new kind of recycling law that asks manufacturers to foot the bill for the waste created by their products. They're bad for the environment, kill marine life and damage human health. Since the 1950s, 8.3 billion metric tons of plastics have been produced, and half of that in the past 15 years alone. The crisis is so serious that many people are saying that plastic straws should be outlawed. India, for example, generates 25,940 tons of plastic waste every day but collects only 60 percent of it. But, getting rid of all single-use plastics definitely will. Plastic straws only account for roughly one percent of the total amount of waste plastic found in the ocean. PDF Skip the Straw - Florida Department of Environmental Protection 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. Facebook; Contact Now . Have you ever seen endangered sea turtles hatch? For example, some disabled people may not be able to properly hold or pick up a cup, so they need to use straws to drink properly. It started with cardboard straws, but once plastic production in America increased, people realized it was quicker and cheaper to produce plastic straws. Plastic bags are a convenient way to carry our purchased goods when we go shopping. 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. its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. 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. Such materials already exist in nature. What can I do for you? Plastic utensils are convenient and straws are fun for kids, but much of that plastic eventually winds up in a landfill or as litter. 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. 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. Es gratis registrarse y presentar tus propuestas laborales. 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 . (Source: Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment), Stanford scientists are among a growing number of researchers harnessing artificial intelligence techniques to bring more realistic representations of ubiquitous atmospheric ripples into global climate models. Buy a metal or bamboo reusable straw. 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]. Beached whales have been found with stomachs full of plastic trash. 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. They store these polymers inside their cells as tiny granules. We all are just trying to do our job well. But the sheer amount of plastic waste inundates communities until they are drowning under thousands of tons of plastic trash. Each day, the United States of America uses 500 million drinking straws. Even if plastic doesnt end up in the ocean, recycled plastic is often exported from high-income countries to developing countries to process. These actions are a response to calls for change and shifting consumer habits. Left alone, plastics dont really break down; they just break up. 82 percent of the responding food service establishments were aware of the prohibition, and 69 percent of those establishments viewed the ban favorably. Scientists have recorded some species of zooplankton eating tiny plastic particles. 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. Banning plastic straws is also increasingly popular. These steps are pretty straight forward and depend on your own initiative. Read more about us. However, as an environmental enthusiast, heres what I think about this ban. High costs for cleanup 8. Natural Resources Defense Council 2023 Privacy Policy Due to its chemistry, nothing in nature can make plastic biodegrade. 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-. These are known to be hormone-disrupting chemicals. Plastic is putting a strain on waste management systems, our oceans, and vulnerable communities the world over. Reasons why smoking should be banned articles jobs Without further due, here are the top 3 ways kids can help, Read More 3 Ways Kids can Help the EarthContinue, What Are Microplastics? This could negatively reflect on their income. LEAPE:Plastic straws are only a tiny fraction of the problem less than 1 percent. Paper straws are horrible and should be taken out of circulation (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. Banning Straws and Bags Won't Solve our Plastic Problem 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. (Its also important to remember that waste management is just one part of the global materials cycle. The majority of this pollutiondominated by single-use plastic wastecomes from countries lacking infrastructure to properly manage waste, particularly in Asia. 10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned