These examples could go on for a long time. Such changes could have outsized benefits for vulnerable populations that rely on rivers for their water supply. Plastic Straws: Is Paper Really Better for the Environment?Continue. 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. We've all become too hooked on the availability and comfort of the stuff. You could either discuss with a store manager a possibility of bringing your own containers for these products. Well, before putting it into the laundry basket, take a look at it closely. (Its also important to remember that waste management is just one part of the global materials cycle. Instead, you are actually reusing a product, and that means that you are utilizing earths resources smartly, while at the same time reducing waste. The problem with plastic straws is that they are one of the biggest causes of unnecessary plastic pollution. They're bad for the environment, kill marine life and damage human health. What never leaves, Read More Sustainable Diving & Snorkeling: How to Prevent Damage to Marine EcosystemsContinue, Top 3 Ways Kids can Help the Earth! 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. keep you informed with the latest alerts and progress reports. 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. (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. It has been projected that, if current trends continue, by 2050 the plastic in the ocean will outweigh the fish. [PDF] Skip The Straw - 10 Reasons Fact Sheet - Kids. But, are paper straws really better for the environment? Interestingly, these granules contain the seeds of their own destruction: enzymes that break the polymer down when it is needed for food. 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 first is to invest in better waste collection in the handful of countries that account for most of the plastic flowing into the ocean. This type of plastic is derived from petroleum. Theyre in about a quarter of the seafood in our markets, and even in table salt. Juan Cristobal Cobo/Bloomberg via Getty Images. Additionally, plastics in our digestive tract may affect absorption of some important trace elements (like iron) which we need for maintaining proper health [13]. These microscopic plastic fragments, no more than 5 millimeters long, are hard to detectand are just about everywhere. The production of these bags is very energy intensive. We need to make fully biodegradable polymers that are cost-competitive. Have some dirty clothes that you just wore today? They discovered that Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestl products were found most often. Plastic straws (like most plastic) are non-biodegradable, meaning that it cant be naturally broken down by decomposers. 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]. As it turns out, many microorganisms make moldable bioplastic polymers that are fully degradable. 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. 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. Shuddering and unable to breathe, he vomited up five plastic bags. (Some places are going so far as to ban single-use plastics entirely; most notably, India intends to go this route by 2022.) (Everything You Need To Know). Sadly, one of their newly acquired enemies is created by us who should protect them instead. Each year on two far-flung Australian islands, more than half a million hermit crabs die after becoming trapped inside our plastic waste. They are a part of our modern lives, and we dont tend to think much about them. Most drop-off collection points accept plastic bags made from high-density polyethylene (plastic number 2) and low-density polyethylene (plastic number 4). 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]. A plastic straw ban would serve to reduce the number of plastic straws entering the ocean. Criddle and Leape are also senior fellows at theStanford Woods Institute for the Environment. 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. A straw with our iced coffee, a plastic bag to carry our takeout, a wrapper on a candy bar: taken individually, each seems harmless. Leape has long been a leader in ocean conservation efforts. 15. 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]. Most plastic straws are made from harsh chemicals making them impossible to reuse or recycle. PLASTIC STRAWS CANT BE BROKEN DOWN BY NATURE. Alternatives to plastic straws, such as paper, may not always be effective for disabled people: paper can be bitten through or broken easily. Straws are said to be one of the top 10 objects recovered during beach clean-ups by the Ocean Conservancy. Do you also have that overflowing kitchen drawer full of plastic bags you bring from your shopping trips? 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. 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. Let companies that make your favorite products know that you care about the packaging. About; Disability Vote Blog; Organizer's Forum; Issues; News; NDLA Webinars But a whopping 91 percent of all plastic isnt recycled at all. For example, in Botswana, the consumption of plastic bags dropped by 50 percent after the introduction of the tax in 2007. And will a plastic straw ban actually be effective when it comes to saving our oceans and environment? It means that most bags can be recycled. Plastic is putting a strain on waste management systems, our oceans, and vulnerable communities the world over. By simply using less plastic, you can help keep marine life from eating and getting entangled in garbage. Its because Asian and US coastlines release large amounts of plastic waste in the ocean [7]. 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. Straws have been found stuck in a sea turtle's nose and wedged in the stomachs of dead birds and dolphins. Ms. LISA PAI . India, for example, generates 25,940 tons of plastic waste every day but collects only 60 percent of it. Have a look yourself to imagine the suffering of these animals. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Although single-use plastic pollution accumulates most visibly on our streets, in fact our water suffers even more. 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]. If you are a kid reading this, and you want to get green and help the Earth, you are at the right place. 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. 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. Beyond the costs associated with the production and purchasing of plastic bags by retailers, there are many external costs that are often not considered. Buying a product through my link comes at no extra cost to you, and I only recommend products that I believe in. Plastic straws are also the 6th most common trash item found during ocean cleanups. That's a whole 900 tons of plastic waste produced every day, and that's just for plastic straws! Another indirect danger of plastic bags has breeding ground in the pollution they create. Its Plastic Incineration. 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. How To Make A Bracelet Out Of Plastic String? Consumer outrage about the plastics crisis is already commanding attention from big companies and from many governments. Although, really, these tips can be used by anyone, not just kids. Here are 3 reasons why plastic straws should not be banned, explained in a simple and easy-to-understand manner: 1. 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. Facebook; Contact Now . Well, a possible alternative solution could be to encourage businesses to only give out plastic straws on request. When you sign up you'll become a member of NRDC's Activist Network. 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. 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. For many in the disabled community, the availability of plastic straws is essential for their well-being and survival. 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]. Nows the Time. Also, giving a speech in . 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. Ask if they have nonplastic alternatives to plastic straws, stirrers, or bags. 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? 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 includes grocery plastic bags, Ziplock-type bags, dry cleaning bags and bread bags. What can I do for you? However, we are all too familiar with situations when a cashier automatically puts your items in a plastic bag before you can oppose it. Divers, for example, descend 130 feet under the water, seek unique-looking creatures, and observe the marine world in all its glory. Let us know if you liked this article. We all are just trying to do our job well. Instead of investing in quality goods that will last, we often prioritize convenience over durability and consideration of long-term impacts. Some Disabled People Require Plastic Straws to Drink For some people with disabilities, straws are the only way they. female pomeranian temperament; splinterlands terms and conditions; carbon emissions data by company; ( ) + . 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. Accompanied by high social accountability and musical garbage trucks, that strategy has proved wildly effective: the island now reports recycling rates above 50 percent. Or you may need to accept that plastic bag this time and then start campaigning for a plastic bag ban in your area . In my opinion, plastic straws should not be banned outright, because many disabled people require plastic straws to drink. Other country that has decided to enforce the country-wide plastic bag ban after suffering of negative consequences was Mauritania. By comparison, an estimated 46 percent of all pollution in the ocean is made up of lost or abandoned fishing gear (Vox). Look for another place that does accept or use alternative packaging, such as small local stores that use paper wraps or compostable bags. 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. 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. There were numerous cases of birds caught in plastic bags, unable to fly and feed, eventually strangling themselves to death. In countries with a lack of awareness about negative impacts of plastic bags, a polite refusal might not be met with much understanding. 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. 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. The most common are inorganic dyes that are added to change the color of plastic bags. 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 don't provide as much utility as bags, so for many this is an easy adjustment. LEAPE:Microplastics pervade the oceans. Even if you can't go zero waste entirely, it's high time we all ended our reliance on single use plastics. The resulting number is staggering. They contribute to the contamination of our landfills and seas when they are discarded after use. Our reliance on these plastics means we are accumulating waste at a staggering rate. 1. The small pilot whale, found in a Thai canal this past June, is another symptom of a crisis in the worlds oceans. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. 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. Yes, it should. Starting in the 1960s, plastic straw manufacturing took off. Individual choicesand the collective shifts they bring aboutadd up quickly. Thanks for signing up. 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. Martin Grimm/Picture-alliance via Associated Press. Plastic utensils are convenient and straws are fun for kids, but much of that plastic eventually winds up in a landfill or as litter. 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. It is possible to enhance ones risk of developing cavities by using a straw while consuming liquids that are either sweet or acidic. 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. Yeah I end up going through like 5 paper straws because they keep disintegrating and I can't drink my drink anymore. 1. Microplastics are plastic debris that measures less than five millimetres, or 0.2 inches, in diameter. Tangled in trees and fences along roads, floating in water, lying on the ground in parks and forests, surrounding garbage bins, washed off on beaches. We dont know how it will in the long term affect plankton-feeding species and their predators. This measure should encourage people to switch to reusable alternatives. Why? 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. But single-use plastics come with a steep environmental priceone that well be paying off for millennia. Plastic bags. In Ireland, where this fee was instituted in 2002, plastic bag usage decreased by about 90 percent. Banning plastic straws is also increasingly popular. The explanation is quite simple. 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. The single biggest reason why people want to ban plastic straws is because of their negative effects on 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. If we ban single-use plastic straws we will have to turn to the dangerous alternatives.In source As plastic bags are not disposed properly . Rating: 5 (913 reviews) Highest rating: 5. What Is Plastic Made Of And How Is It Manufactured? McDonalds swapped its plastic straws for paper at its United Kingdom and Ireland restaurants. Well, lets have a look at the most important reasons why single-use plastic bags should be banned right now. ), then its clean! 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]. Considering what important source of food plankton is for many other species, it is clear that plastic gets distributed across the marine ecosystem. Heres everything you need to know before plastic carryout bags disappear from the Empire State on March 1. 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.
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