Help us break the cycle of causing unnecessary harm and damage in the name of "convenience". 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. 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. Plastic bags. And Starbucks, which uses an estimated one billion plastic straws per year, is phasing them out in favor of paper ones. We use them to drink beverages at home and we get them at almost every restaurant. Those global companies can be important levers in driving change and shifting to a regenerative, circular economy. Our addiction to plastic also has negative impacts on the climate. NRDCs Eric Goldstein gives the scoop on the latest environmental villain and explains why plastic straws really are a big menace to our oceans. Or you may need to accept that plastic bag this time and then start campaigning for a plastic bag ban in your area . 2. Forty years after the launch of the first universal recycling symbol, only 14 percent of plastic packaging is recycled. 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. The problem with plastic straws is that they are one of the biggest causes of unnecessary plastic pollution. Is the Tide Turning on Our Plastic Addiction? 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. An Oregon community is making spectacular statues out of ocean plastic to raise awareness about a crisis at sea. Tiny plastic particles have been found in human feces. If plastic straws are completely banned, local small businesses like boba tea shops will have to look for pricier alternatives. All rights reserved. If you are a kid reading this, and you want to get green and help the Earth, you are at the right place. 1. When animals ingest plastic, it clogs up their digestive systems, which can easily choke or kill animals like birds or sea turtles. Plastic bags are a convenient way to carry our purchased goods when we go shopping. 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. America Needs a Plastics Intervention. In effect, nature has designed this plastic for disassembly. . These actions are a response to calls for change and shifting consumer habits. Reduce Aesthetic value of your neighborhood. Many of the chemicals in plastics are known endocrine disruptors,and research has suggested that human exposure could cause health impacts including hormonal imbalances, reproductive problems like infertility, and even cancer. Come with external costs 9. Litter can be the first stage in a waste stream that enters waterways as plastics tossed on the street are washed away by rain or travel via storm drains into rivers and streams. Beached whales have been found with stomachs full of plastic trash. "To us, it was the 'gateway plastic' to the larger, more . 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 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. Facebook; Contact Now . Ill also go over whether or not plastic straw bans will actually help the environment, and explain everything else youll need to know. If there is one piece of advice that everyone should remember, it would be that nothing is for free in this world. Why Plastic Bags And Straws Should Not Be Banned Thoughtful laws are needed to control the problem and at the same time encourage innovation. ), then its clean! The inaccuracy of this number calls into doubt the veracity of the overall case against using plastic straws as a drinking implement. Scientists have recorded some species of zooplankton eating tiny plastic particles. Plastic use costs approximately $75 billion a year [16]. Should Plastic be Banned Essay for Students in English - VEDANTU 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. 10 Reasons Why Plastic Bags Should Be Banned | Greentumble 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. The majority of plastic bags are made of polyethylene, a substance that is derived from crude oil refining and natural gas processing. Thus, plastic straws cant be recycled. This strategy has been adopted by some countries and municipalities so far and has proven to greatly reduce plastic bag usage by consumers. LEAPE:Plastic straws are only a tiny fraction of the problem less than 1 percent. Why Are Plastic Straws Bad for the Environment & Should Be Banned What do the bans accomplish? They contribute to the contamination of our landfills and seas when they are discarded after use. Then, the straw got stuck in the turtles nose after she/he tried to cough the straw back out. Some Disabled People Require Plastic Straws to Drink For some people with disabilities, straws are the only way they can drink. A last example of a true horror caused by plastic has been discovered just recently. The bottom line of any plastic ban is that we must use less single-use plastics overall. Coca-Cola makes an estimated 110 billion plastic bottles a year. The single biggest reason why people want to ban plastic straws is because of their negative effects on the environment. 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. Starbucks plans to phase out plastic straws by 2020. edinburgh airport address. Ms. LISA PAI . 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. 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. 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. O This requires the usage of 500 million straws, Straws and other items made of plastic are harmful, Every day in the United States. The cashier usually understands, only had to do what instructed and what most customers expect (unfortunately) from him or her. and reefs composed of coral, F) I Plastic straws are one of the top five most often used items. Other country that has decided to enforce the country-wide plastic bag ban after suffering of negative consequences was Mauritania. A straw with our iced coffee, a plastic bag to carry our takeout, a wrapper on a candy bar: taken individually, each seems harmless. Plastic utensils are convenient and straws are fun for kids, but much of that plastic eventually winds up in a landfill or as litter. McDonalds swapped its plastic straws for paper at its United Kingdom and Ireland restaurants. Polypropylene is a form of plastic that is frequently used in the production of straws. 10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned - david-el.co.il . Carrying reusable bags and bottles is one great way to avoid single-use plastics in our day-to-day lives; more on preventing plastic waste can be found below. CRIDDLE:Cost is a huge issue. 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). This means that the average consumption of plastic bags per person dropped from 328 bags per year to just 21 [20]. Not only is plastic estimated to kill millions of marine animals and seabirds each year, but its also contaminating seafood that humans have relied on for millennia, particularly with microplastics in animals guts. 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. Cook more often, to reduce your use of plastic-heavy takeout containers. And recent studies found plastic in the guts of 90 percent of the seabirds tested and 100 percent of the turtles. When you sip beverages through a straw you end up inhaling more air into your belly than you would otherwise. These examples could go on for a long time. These pieces can be so small that they are invisible to our eye. Then, you should try to explain your reasons for not wanting your products packed in plastic bags. Yeah I end up going through like 5 paper straws because they keep disintegrating and I can't drink my drink anymore. 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]. You are free to have your own personal opinion on whether or not we should ban plastic straws. An additional problem with plastic grocery bags recycling is their cleanliness. 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. 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. Similar fate has met dolphins, seals, cats, dogs, deer and many other animals which got severely cut on their bodies due to plastic bag entanglement. Summary: Reduce your use of single-use plastics. Don't Ban Straws - Reason.com Plastic straws shouldn't be banned - The Rubicon Es gratis registrarse y presentar tus propuestas laborales. 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. 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. Hi, Im Hugh, and my mission with Get Green Now is to raise awareness of environmental issues and teach people how to live sustainably. While an extra two cents may not seem like a lot, it could make a difference for some businesses that depend on plastic straws. 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. 10 Reasons You Should Give Up Plastic Straws - sustainablemotown 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. The trend has already started. About half the cost of making biodegradable polymers is the cost of feedstock. 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. 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. In countries with a lack of awareness about negative impacts of plastic bags, a polite refusal might not be met with much understanding. To make matters worse, if plastic straws get into the ocean, they can be mistaken for food by marine animals. If you are constantly feeling gassy, then you should definitely consider drinking beverages the old fashioned way. Please share this message with your friends so that together, we can tackle our global plastic problem. The resulting number is staggering. Why are Plastic Straws Bad and What are the Alernatives? The people of Macon, Georgia, saw through it. They're bad for the environment, kill marine life and damage human health. Leape has long been a leader in ocean conservation efforts. Her Stand-Up Paddleboard Is a Platform for Campaigning Against Plastic Pollution, A Growing Concern: Microplastic Pollution on Farm Fields. 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. Single-use plastics are most commonly used for packaging and serviceware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags. Its Plastic Incineration. As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. In fact, I just listed many reasons and points in this article that support both sides of the argument. You can be sure of one thing, though. About; Disability Vote Blog; Organizer's Forum; Issues; News; NDLA Webinars There were numerous cases of birds caught in plastic bags, unable to fly and feed, eventually strangling themselves to death. Using a straw directs a concentrated stream of liquid onto a localized area of the teeth, which can cause the enamel to wear away and lead to dental disease. No! Single-Use Plastics 101 | NRDC Exposure to microplastics, as well as the chemicals that are added to plastics during processing, harm our health. The first answer to this question that comes to everyones mind is to stop using plastic bags, right? 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. Getting rid of a single plastic straw may not have a very large effect on the environment. The Natural Resources Defense Council works to safeguard the earth - its people, Starting in the 1960s, plastic straw manufacturing took off. Instead of searching for another buyer, maybe some soul-searching is in order. 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 Sadly, one of their newly acquired enemies is created by us who should protect them instead. Yes, it should. And they help shift consumer mind-sets, as people begin to recognize that exorbitant and avoidable waste is not sustainable. Therefore, a plastic straw ban by itself is unlikely to be very effective in actually helping the environment, although it could act as a gateway into the reduction of other single-use plastics. Paper straws cannot be recycled in any way. As plastic bags are not disposed properly . 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. National Geographic made a video on how helpless it feels to be caught in a plastic bag. 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. Why we shouldn't ban plastic straws Antithesis Journal Even if you can't go zero waste entirely, it's high time we all ended our reliance on single use plastics. 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. Animals living in the ocean might frequently confuse the plastic for food. This could negatively reflect on their income. 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.
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