Policies like bottle bill lawswhich generally require retailers to add a fee on individual bottles, which can then be partially redeemed by customers when they recycleare a way to increase corporate responsibility for waste while providing a monetary incentive to recycle. 10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned - david-el.co.il 23 Reasons Why we should ban Plastic Bags | Environment Buddy Why we shouldn't ban plastic straws Antithesis Journal This means that you are not consuming more resources every time you need to carry your groceries home. As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. 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. Please share this message with your friends so that together, we can tackle our global plastic problem. Divers, for example, descend 130 feet under the water, seek unique-looking creatures, and observe the marine world in all its glory. When you sip beverages through a straw you end up inhaling more air into your belly than you would otherwise. Single-use plastics are most commonly used for packaging and serviceware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags. Starting in the 1960s, plastic straw manufacturing took off. So, retailers incorporate this cost hiddenly into prices of other items sold at stores. Well, a possible alternative solution could be to encourage businesses to only give out plastic straws on request. Don't Ban Straws - Reason.com Try reusable and compostable beeswax wrap for an easy and decorative option. As it turns out, many microorganisms make moldable bioplastic polymers that are fully degradable. 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 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. Natural Resources Defense Council 2023 Privacy Policy Required fields are marked *. 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. LEAPE:There are two clear imperatives. 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. 10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned Not easy to recycle 7. 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. 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). We do not know the full impact of microplastics exceeding the mass of plankton in the ocean. Better alternatives are available 10. Plastic bag litter has even caused great problems in some areas. Straws made of paper are neither recyclable nor capable of decomposition. Here are 3 reasons why plastic straws should not be banned, explained in a simple and easy-to-understand manner: 1. Arguments Why Plastic Should Be Banned - Green Matters Plastic straws shouldn't be banned - The Rubicon If you are a kid reading this, and you want to get green and help the Earth, you are at the right place. What to do with plastic bags you already have at home? If plastic straws are completely banned, local small businesses like boba tea shops will have to look for pricier alternatives. You can use some easy online locators to see the closest plastic bag drop-off. While we may not pay for plastic bags directly when we go shopping, they are anything but free.. 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. "To us, it was the 'gateway plastic' to the larger, more . (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. 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. PDF Skip the Straw - Florida Department of Environmental Protection Such is the case with many environmental crises: the worst effects are pushed onto overburdened communities with the fewest resources to fight back. What do the bans accomplish? Some countries have decided to do so after directly experiencing negative impacts of plastic bags, other countries have implemented the ban to reach their sustainability goals. So, plastic bag recycling facilities are few and far between and transportation to one could be expensive. Avoid plastic wrap altogether by storing leftovers in reusable containers. 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 Earths ocean surface. Communities with good awareness about negative impacts of plastic bags have been more successful at enforcing the ban [20]. Plastic is putting a strain on waste management systems, our oceans, and vulnerable communities the world over. Thats nearly equivalent to the weight of the entire human population. 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. According to market research firms, Americans use about 350 million plastic straws every single day. We are a couple of environmentalists who seek inspiration for life in simple values based on our love for nature. Instead it ends up in landfills or in the environment. Should Plastic be Banned Essay for Students in English - VEDANTU 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. Plastic is more sanitary and safer to use than other alternatives. Banning straws may confer 'moral license' allowing companies and their customers to feel they have done their part. 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. 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. 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. Thoughtful laws are needed to control the problem and at the same time encourage innovation. 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. Your email address will not be published. In this article, Ill go over both the pros and cons of a plastic straw ban. 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned? These are known to be hormone-disrupting chemicals. 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. Most plastic straws are made from harsh chemicals making them impossible to reuse or recycle. 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]. Alarmingly, scientists estimate that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by weight in 2050. Animals living in the ocean might frequently confuse the plastic for food. Plastic use costs approximately $75 billion a year [16]. Straws have been found stuck in a sea turtle's nose and wedged in the stomachs of dead birds and dolphins. 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. Manufacturers began replacing traditionally paper or glass staples with lighter or more durable and affordable plastic alternatives; plastic jugs replaced milk jars, for instance. Large producers of single-use plastics can make a big environmental impact. There were numerous cases of birds caught in plastic bags, unable to fly and feed, eventually strangling themselves to death. There are numerous reasons why PLA straws are not the right substitute for plastic straws . A calf had to be put down because of indigestion caused by 8 plastic bags in its stomach. America Needs a Plastics Intervention. Criddle isdirector of StanfordsCodiga Resource Recovery Center,a member ofStanford Bio-Xand an affiliate of thePrecourt Institute for Energy. 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]. Making just one simple swap, like purchasing a reusable water bottle, can spare the environment hundreds of plastic bottles each year. That is why the United Nations Environmental Programme Secretariat has recommended a ban on all plastic bags globally. Logically, the key to starting a change in your community is education. Affiliate Disclaimer: Some links on this site may be referral or affiliate links. Such materials already exist in nature. We all are just trying to do our job well. Criddle has evaluated use of microorganisms to biodegrade plastic materials and to synthesize biodegradable bioplastics from waste feedstocks. Read more about us. Criddle and Leape are also senior fellows at theStanford Woods Institute for the Environment. They suspect that it may add stress on the liver by introducing more pathogens into the body. update email soon. As a result, the ban will reduce the number of plastic straws polluting the ocean. This includes grocery plastic bags, Ziplock-type bags, dry cleaning bags and bread bags. There are many uses for plastic that are not only reasonable but important, such as surgical gloves, or straws for people with disabilities. (Its also important to remember that waste management is just one part of the global materials cycle. 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. 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. How? Also, giving a speech in . 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. Your email address will not be published. JIM LEAPE: Our oceans are currently swimming with plastics. 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. The risk is that banning straws may confer moral license allowing companies and their customers to feel they have done their part. The Pasig River is the eight worst source of ocean plastic pollution in the world. Which brings us to the second part. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This strategy has been adopted by some countries and municipalities so far and has proven to greatly reduce plastic bag usage by consumers. We should also try to give up plastic straws if we are capable of doing so. You need to know what effects plastic bags have on the environment and health. Avoid individually packaged goods, like snack packs. Polypropylene is a form of plastic that is frequently used in the production of straws. Heres everything you need to know before plastic carryout bags disappear from the Empire State on March 1. Plastic, in general, is one of the biggest pollutants in the world. Gas, bloating, and intestinal discomfort. (Everything You Need To Know). Lizzie Carr is shining a light on what is floating through the worlds waterways, and breaking athletic records along the way. The Last Straw: 5 Reasons You Should Ditch Plastic Straws FNB News - Choose the right straw | FNB News Growing public concern has inspired movements to ban single-use plastics, most notably straws. We use them to drink beverages at home and we get them at almost every restaurant. The first answer to this question that comes to everyones mind is to stop using plastic bags, right? Then, you should try to explain your reasons for not wanting your products packed in plastic bags. Reducing plastic use is the most effective means of avoiding this waste (and the impacts linked to plastic production and use). (Photo credit: Shutterstock). However, one thing we know, is that by introducing a pollutant that may never break down in the environment can have implications that will far exceed any of our predictions. The small pilot whale, found in a Thai canal this past June, is another symptom of a crisis in the worlds oceans. Plastic bag bansideally accompanied by a fee on paper bagsare also catching on. Do plastic straws really make a difference? - Stanford Earth And the recent fracking boom, resulting in a surplus of oil, is fueling a subsequent rise in cracker plants, too. At the beginning of July 2018, Seattle became the largest U.S. city to ban plastic straws. Buy a metal or bamboo reusable straw. Additionally, someone has to pay the cost of dealing with plastic bags in the waste stream. You could either discuss with a store manager a possibility of bringing your own containers for these products. 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]. Why Should Plastic Straws Be Banned? - Nationwide Plastics 12 Compelling Reasons For Banning Plastic Bags [2023 Update] - MindsetEco We need to make fully biodegradable polymers that are cost-competitive. 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. Look around and you will notice that plastic bags are the most common litter. 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. Theyre in about a quarter of the seafood in our markets, and even in table salt. female pomeranian temperament; splinterlands terms and conditions; carbon emissions data by company; ( ) + . These modern conveniences are so ubiquitousand so quickly thrown outthat they hardly register in our minds. Considering what important source of food plankton is for many other species, it is clear that plastic gets distributed across the marine ecosystem. 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. 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. 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 Nearly 20 years ago, a dead pelican was found with its stomach filled with 17 plastic bags [10]. A complete ban on plastic straws would harm disabled people, which definitely isnt the goal of such a ban. Sugar and oils are too expensive. So that free plastic bag isnt so free after all. On their long journey, they will encounter many difficulties and only a small portion of them will survive. Scientists have recorded some species of zooplankton eating tiny plastic particles. Tiny plastic particles have been found in human feces. and reefs composed of coral, F) I Plastic straws are one of the top five most often used items. that do collect plastic bags and other plastic films and send them for proper recycling. 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. 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. Interestingly, these granules contain the seeds of their own destruction: enzymes that break the polymer down when it is needed for food. A brief history of how plastic straws took over the world - Environment The explanation is quite simple. 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. There are definitely differing opinions on whether or not plastic straws should be banned. New research shows their prolific dam building benefits river water quality so much, it outweighs the damaging influence of climate-driven droughts. As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. 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]. 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. Greenwashing Alert: Chemical Recycling Isnt Actually Recycling. The single biggest reason why people want to ban plastic straws is because of their negative effects on the environment. 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. We shouldnt ban plastic straws if it creates an accessibility issue. Once a paper product has been contaminated with food or drink, it must be disposed of in a landfill. Ms. LISA PAI . 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. We should just stick to plastic. Plastic bags are a convenient way to carry our purchased goods when we go shopping. 2015-2023 Greentumble. These pieces can be so small that they are invisible to our eye. If we ban single-use plastic straws we will have to turn to the dangerous alternatives.In source 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 . 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. 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. So, for example, companies need to not only make products that are recyclable, but actually make them out of recycled or truly biodegradable material. But a whopping 91 percent of all plastic isnt recycled at all. They are also capable of being ingested by fish, seabirds, and marine mammals, which in turn causes the animals injury and, in the case of fish, allows them to enter the human food chain. 1. Should Plastic Straws Be Banned? | Persuasive Writing | Scholastic Nows the Time. 2. This way, disabled people can continue to be served, while also reducing the number of plastic straws that we use. Plastic is not the largest contributor of pollution and the . Plastic straws have an especially high propensity to end up in our rivers after being thrown away. Reusable shopping bags are very durable and can be reused many times over the course of their useful life. The ban also kept them from littering neighborhoods and the environment. 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. edinburgh airport address. Come with external costs 9. 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? Made from fossil fuels 3. 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.