The Problem With The Straws
The ‘History of Straws’ article tells us about how plastic straws are one of the top five contributors to marine waste within the world. Plastic straws along with polystyrene and plastic bags are banned all over. Communities all around California have put a plastic product ban in place to be able to manage litter, lower the amount of non-recyclable materials, and minimize the strain on landfills. Adell et. al says “Plastic product bans such as plastic bags, polystyrene, or single-use plastics, are used to address both local (e.g. itter reduction or community aesthetics), and global (e.g. microplastic pollution or wildlife entanglement) problematizations of plastic waste” (Adell 2020).
Plastic is known as one of the most dangerous materials in the world. Regardless of it being dangerous, it is one of the most common materials. It doesn’t decompose into any types of surfaces which in turn, leaves it to just sit. Oh and to top that all off, unwanted gases release from the plastic as well .
I read a book back in one of my classes a few years ago and it was called STRAWS by Linda Booker. The book is an informative piece about how plastic is not only a pollutant on land but also in the water. Most people have seen the viral video of the turtle that had the plastic straw stuck in his nose. This was a major turning point to get the message out there on how plastic affects marine life. The video went viral on social media platforms reaching millions.
Nicole Nash is an Australian marine biologist who has launched a campaign called The Last Straw on The Great Barrier Reef. She is working to ban plastic straws from the Great Barrier Reef. 70–90% of debris in the GBR is plastic. It kills animals and the amount of straws the U.S. uses in one day can wrap around the earth about 2.5 times.
Overall, straws destroy not only life on land but life in the waters immensely. Saying no to a plastic straw and not using one is a small act that can be the start to a better future for everyone.
F. (2021, February 23). History of Straws: From Invention to Regulation. Footprint®. https://www.footprintus.com/news/sustainability/history-of-straws-from-invention-to-regulation/
Adell, R. (2020). Banning Plastic Straw by Straw: Why California needs a more harmonized approach to plastics management. IIIEE Master Thesis.
Hoots, R. (2018). STRAWS. Science Scope, 41(7), 105–106.
