And they help shift consumer mind-sets, as people begin to recognize that exorbitant and avoidable waste is not sustainable. 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. 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]. 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. The small pilot whale, found in a Thai canal this past June, is another symptom of a crisis in the worlds oceans. The trend has already started. You can share this article on social media by using the share buttons below. We do not know the full impact of microplastics exceeding the mass of plankton in the ocean. If you are a kid reading this, and you want to get green and help the Earth, you are at the right place. Using these non-renewable resources to make plastic bags is very short-sighted, considering that the typical useful life of each plastic bag is about 12 minutes and that the worlds oil reserves contain enough oil to cover our needs through 2050, as the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates. Avoid individually packaged goods, like snack packs. The second, more fundamental imperative is to get plastics out of our waste stream. They're bad for the environment, kill marine life and damage human health. We are a couple of environmentalists who seek inspiration for life in simple values based on our love for nature. 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. National Geographic made a video on how helpless it feels to be caught in a plastic bag. Since their birth, baby turtles have only one goal to get to the sea and swim into deep waters where they will feed and if successful grow into adult turtles. This means that you are not consuming more resources every time you need to carry your groceries home. Problematic degradation 4. McDonald's recently announced . 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. Plastic straws are not the first iteration of straws. There are some great initiatives that strive to provide jobs for women in rural communities with limited possibilities of securing monthly income. 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. 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. Manufacturers began replacing traditionally paper or glass staples with lighter or more durable and affordable plastic alternatives; plastic jugs replaced milk jars, for instance. Its Plastic Incineration. But you should also consider the other perspective what effect single-use bags have had on the local economy and product affordability. 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. At the beginning of July 2018, Seattle became the largest U.S. city to ban plastic straws. 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. When animals ingest plastic, it clogs up their digestive systems, which can easily choke or kill animals like birds or sea turtles. But a whopping 91 percent of all plastic isnt recycled at all. Reduce Aesthetic value of your neighborhood. Plastic straws have an especially high propensity to end up in our rivers after being thrown away. To date, around 60 countries and municipalities around the world have instituted plastic bag bans, and additional seven countries are planning to enforce the law in the closest future. 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. 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 Greentumble is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. For many of us it is hard to imagine that something as small as a plastic bag can actually cause flooding, but residents of some cities in Bangladesh have been struggling with this problem every monsoon season for the past two decades [3]. Animals living in the ocean might frequently confuse the plastic for food. Forty years after the launch of the first universal recycling symbol, only 14 percent of plastic packaging is recycled. The answer isnt as simple as you may think: While its true that paper straws arent as harmful as plastic straws, this doesnt mean that, Read More Paper vs. Large producers of single-use plastics can make a big environmental impact. Thats a promising start. Your email address will not be published. Additionally, plastics in our digestive tract may affect absorption of some important trace elements (like iron) which we need for maintaining proper health [13]. Instead of investing in quality goods that will last, we often prioritize convenience over durability and consideration of long-term impacts. Because of this, the plants and wildlife in the area have a potential risk of absorbing the microplastics through their diets and drinking water. But the sheer amount of plastic waste inundates communities until they are drowning under thousands of tons of plastic trash. Start from yourself and slowly expand to your family and friends. A straw with our iced coffee, a plastic bag to carry our takeout, a wrapper on a candy bar: taken individually, each seems harmless. Though plastica chain of synthetic polymers, essentiallywas invented in. A calf had to be put down because of indigestion caused by 8 plastic bags in its stomach. Have you ever seen endangered sea turtles hatch? 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. If there is one piece of advice that everyone should remember, it would be that nothing is for free in this world. It is possible to enhance ones risk of developing cavities by using a straw while consuming liquids that are either sweet or acidic. | | 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. And will a plastic straw ban actually be effective when it comes to saving our oceans and environment? However, I do believe that we should limit our use of plastic straws by asking businesses to only give out straws on request. India, for example, generates 25,940 tons of plastic waste every day but collects only 60 percent of it. Tushy Ace Review (After 3 Months): Is this Luxury Bidet Worth it? When you sip beverages through a straw you end up inhaling more air into your belly than you would otherwise. Martin Grimm/Picture-alliance via Associated Press. Some Disabled People Require Plastic Straws to Drink For some people with disabilities, straws are the only way they. Car Modifications for Electric Vehicles: Whats Possible. And when it comes to waste that lasts forever, every ton counts. 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. Author: floridadep.gov. This could negatively reflect on their income. For instance, a lot of the plastic produced in Asian countries is for products that serve U.S. demandand the United States often sends plastic waste back to these countries for recycling.). 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. They prevent millions of tons of plastic from entering the waste stream each year. The Pasig River is the eight worst source of ocean plastic pollution in the world. 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. Recently, however, plastic straws have been the subject of many plastic bans in an attempt to help the environment. An outright ban on plastic straws would create an accessibility problem for disabled people while dining in public. 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. In this article, Ill go over both the pros and cons of a plastic straw ban. Although, really, these tips can be used by anyone, not just kids. If youd like to learn more about how plastic straws negatively impact the environment, you can check out this article I wrote about the environmental impact of plastic straws. According to the researchers, the turtle likely mistook the straw for food and swallowed it. An additional problem with plastic grocery bags recycling is their cleanliness. For example, in Botswana, the consumption of plastic bags dropped by 50 percent after the introduction of the tax in 2007. Plastic pollutionwhether in our oceans, piling up on our coastlines, or contributing to our climate crisisimpacts vulnerable communities first. Straws, Ives says, made the perfect target: too inconsequential to really be missed but so ubiquitous that their absence would be noticed. In 2008, a crocodile in Australia died because of 25 plastic bags filling its stomach [11]. Paper vs. New research shows their prolific dam building benefits river water quality so much, it outweighs the damaging influence of climate-driven droughts. 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. 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. Banning straws may confer 'moral license' allowing companies and their customers to feel they have done their part. 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 . Alarmingly, scientists estimate that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by weight in 2050. It's free to sign up and bid on jobs. As communities act to ban single-use plastics and individual consumers raise concerns, bigger actors pay attention. 15. Logically, the key to starting a change in your community is education. 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. Starbucks plans to phase out plastic straws by 2020. 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. 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. Killing wildlife 5. Without further due, here are the top 3 ways kids can help, Read More 3 Ways Kids can Help the EarthContinue, What Are Microplastics? Will others? Juan Cristobal Cobo/Bloomberg via Getty Images. They are a part of our modern lives, and we dont tend to think much about them. Ms. LISA PAI . Plastics bags are not so much necessary that man cannot live without it. 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. Instead, you are actually reusing a product, and that means that you are utilizing earths resources smartly, while at the same time reducing waste. Criddle isdirector of StanfordsCodiga Resource Recovery Center,a member ofStanford Bio-Xand an affiliate of thePrecourt Institute for Energy. Shuddering and unable to breathe, he vomited up five plastic bags. A complete ban on plastic straws would harm disabled people, which definitely isnt the goal of such a ban. 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? Increased awareness about the negative effects of single-use plastics would help the environment a lot more than just a simple plastic straw ban. There are numerous reasons why PLA straws are not the right substitute for plastic straws . 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. This means that you need to first educate yourself about the problem. Other country that has decided to enforce the country-wide plastic bag ban after suffering of negative consequences was Mauritania. What Does the Plastic Bag Ban Mean for New Yorkers? A Ban Could Harm Local Businesses If and reefs composed of coral, F) I Plastic straws are one of the top five most often used items. CRIDDLE:We need to think about what incentives will promote a culture of recycling and innovation with respect to waste streams. Considering what important source of food plankton is for many other species, it is clear that plastic gets distributed across the marine ecosystem. Also, giving a speech in . Made from petroleum products, Baekland's " bakelite " plastic was a revolutionary material. 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. You probably already saw the video, but if you didnt, you can watch it below (WARNING: Graphic Content): Supporters of plastic straw bans claim that the ban will help reduce our use of single-use plastics. This amount of marine life, which includes fish and turtles, is sufficient to fill 125 school buses. NRDC scientist Jennifer Sass says yes and debunks the skeptics claim that in trying to wean ourselves off plastic bags, were only creating more troubles. Driven by public pressure, governments and corporations are considering eliminating or phasing out single-use plastics such as straws. 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. Plastic straws (like most plastic) are non-biodegradable, meaning that it cant be naturally broken down by decomposers. 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]. female pomeranian temperament; splinterlands terms and conditions; carbon emissions data by company; ( ) + . Nows the Time. We will Do you wonder why? Although single-use plastic pollution accumulates most visibly on our streets, in fact our water suffers even more. Polyethylene terephthalate, one of the most commonly recycled plastics and the material that makes up most water and soda bottles, can be turned into everything from polyester fabric to automotive parts. 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. Facebook; Contact Now . If environmental zealots and sycophants get their way, you won't be allowed to sip it through a plastic straw. In fact, plastic straws only make up around 0.03 percent of total plastic waste by mass. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. When you sign up you'll become a member of NRDC's Activist Network. Plastic items are more sanitary than other alternatives. To make matters worse, if plastic straws get into the ocean, they can be mistaken for food by marine animals. The very best alternative is a reusable bag. Though plastica chain of synthetic polymers, essentiallywas invented in the mid-19th century, it wasnt until the 1970s that its popularity skyrocketed. An Oregon community is making spectacular statues out of ocean plastic to raise awareness about a crisis at sea. 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. Natural Resources Defense Council 2023 Privacy Policy But single-use plastics come with a steep environmental priceone that well be paying off for millennia. Greentumble was founded in the summer of 2015 by us, Sara and Ovi. Stanford experts discuss the limitations of these bans and the potential for meaningful change. 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. A recent report showed that plastic production contributes to planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions at every point in its life cycle. Ask if they have nonplastic alternatives to plastic straws, stirrers, or bags. Communities with good awareness about negative impacts of plastic bags have been more successful at enforcing the ban [20]. 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]. The decrease in demand for plastic bags forces manufacturers to reduce their production and consider expanding in a supply of alternative products. O This requires the usage of 500 million straws, Straws and other items made of plastic are harmful, Every day in the United States. As plastic bags are not disposed properly . What do the bans accomplish? Not only does the waste destroy the land itself, but when plastic is incinerated (as is the case for unrecyclable plastic at some illegal facilities) its toxic fumes quickly become a health hazard for residents, leading to everything from skin rashes to cancer. In fact, I just listed many reasons and points in this article that support both sides of the argument. Such materials already exist in nature. Globally, 8 to 10 percent of our current oil supply goes to a plastic bag manufacture [4]. Spare Yourself the Guilt Trip This Earth DayIts Companies That Need to Clean Up Their Acts, These Fanciful Sea Creatures Were Carried in on the Tide. In New York, 23 billion plastic bags are used by residents each year. All you need to do is paste your ZIP code and then see the list of stores with bag drop-off in your nearest location. 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. 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. 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. Then, you should try to explain your reasons for not wanting your products packed in plastic bags. Most of it is either dumped in landfills or ends up in the ocean. 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. Most plastic straws are made from harsh chemicals making them impossible to reuse or recycle. 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. Over time, sun and heat slowly turn plastics into smaller and smaller pieces until they eventually become what are known as microplastics. Yeah I end up going through like 5 paper straws because they keep disintegrating and I can't drink my drink anymore. 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. They store these polymers inside their cells as tiny granules. ), then its clean! 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. 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. 2023 Get Green Now. Buy in bulk. For the oceans sake, wed better hope so. We should also try to give up plastic straws if we are capable of doing so. NDLA National Disability Leadership Alliance: Nothing About Us Without Us. Refineries where crude oil is turned into plastic make up one of the most greenhouse gasintensive industries in the manufacturing sector. Well, lets have a look at the most important reasons why single-use plastic bags should be banned right now. A wave of single-use plastic bans is sweeping the country and the globemost often on plastic bags, straws, stirrers, and takeout clamshells. Dont re-wash something if you can wear it again. Once a person gets into the habit of bringing reusable bags when shopping, it is not much of an inconvenience at all. If you are constantly feeling gassy, then you should definitely consider drinking beverages the old fashioned way. Banning plastic straws is also increasingly popular. Individual actions can lead to collective actions. China doesnt want our plastic waste anymore. Well, before putting it into the laundry basket, take a look at it closely. 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).