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. This means that you need to first educate yourself about the problem. Reasons why smoking should be banned articlestrabajos Our reliance on these plastics means we are accumulating waste at a staggering rate. Cause of environmental pollution 2. No! 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 small pilot whale, found in a Thai canal this past June, is another symptom of a crisis in the worlds oceans. Greentumble was founded in the summer of 2015 by us, Sara and Ovi. O This requires the usage of 500 million straws, Straws and other items made of plastic are harmful, Every day in the United States. Plastic straws shouldn't be banned - The Rubicon 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. All Rights Reserved. When the monsoon rains start, streets get waterlogged just after the first few minutes because the water cannot pass through clogged sewerage pipes. They discovered that Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestl products were found most often. Pack it alongside reusable cutlery (like wood, bamboo, or metal chopsticks) for sustainable eating on the go. Beyond the costs associated with the production and purchasing of plastic bags by retailers, there are many external costs that are often not considered. If the answer is yes, you should know that this inadvertent overconsumption of single-use plastic carries with it a very high cost to the environment, which in turn also negatively affects our health. 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. According to market research firms, Americans use about 350 million plastic straws every single day. Juan Cristobal Cobo/Bloomberg via Getty Images. Dont re-wash something if you can wear it again. Since the 1950s, 8.3 billion metric tons of plastics have been produced, and half of that in the past 15 years alone. Our plastic addiction is having a devastating impact on our oceans, our wildlife, and our health. In New York, 23 billion plastic bags are used by residents each year. 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. 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 . Nows the Time. 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. Most drop-off collection points accept plastic bags made from high-density polyethylene (plastic number 2) and low-density polyethylene (plastic number 4). 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 is putting a strain on waste management systems, our oceans, and vulnerable communities the world over. Plastic straws are not the first iteration of straws. Scientists are showing that we are sending tons of tiny plastic particles into our soils each year, potentially affecting crops and our health. Our addiction to plastic also has negative impacts on the climate. 8 good reasons to give up plastic straws - CareElite About; Disability Vote Blog; Organizer's Forum; Issues; News; NDLA Webinars Plastic bag litter has even caused great problems in some areas. 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. This is because the customers voluntarily reduce their consumption of plastic bags, which in turn provides enough time for retailers to find suitable alternatives and switch to them. Natural Resources Defense Council 2023 Privacy Policy . Should Plastic be Banned Essay for Students in English - VEDANTU In fact, it is estimated that up to 10 million plastic bags are used every minute around the world [1]. As it turns out, many microorganisms make moldable bioplastic polymers that are fully degradable. In fact, plastic straws only make up around 0.03 percent of total plastic waste by mass. 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]. Have a look yourself to imagine the suffering of these animals. ), then its clean! Even if plastic doesnt end up in the ocean, recycled plastic is often exported from high-income countries to developing countries to process. Look around and you will notice that plastic bags are the most common litter. 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. Plastic straws are everywhere we look. The explanation is quite simple. Instead of investing in quality goods that will last, we often prioritize convenience over durability and consideration of long-term impacts. its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. In fact, the global backlash against plastic straws likely started after researchers off the coast of Costa Rica shared a viral video of a sea turtle with a plastic straw stuck up its nose. Well, lets have a look at the most important reasons why single-use plastic bags should be banned right now. This way, disabled people can continue to be served, while also reducing the number of plastic straws that we use. 10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned - tmtnevins.com Well, a possible alternative solution could be to encourage businesses to only give out plastic straws on request. Your email address will not be published. Is the Tide Turning on Our Plastic Addiction? 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. Plastic bag bansideally accompanied by a fee on paper bagsare also catching on. Some Disabled People Require Plastic Straws to Drink For some people with disabilities, straws are the only way they. Killing wildlife 5. Thanks for signing up. Let companies that make your favorite products know that you care about the packaging. They suspect that it may add stress on the liver by introducing more pathogens into the body. Oil and natural gas are non-renewable fossil fuel-based resources and through their extraction and production, they emit greenhouse gases, which contribute to global climate change. Ms. LISA PAI . Plastic is not the largest contributor of pollution and the . Our goal is to inspire people to change their attitudes and behaviors toward a more sustainable life. Thats nearly equivalent to the weight of the entire human population. And recent studies found plastic in the guts of 90 percent of the seabirds tested and 100 percent of the turtles. 1. When animals ingest plastic, it clogs up their digestive systems, which can easily choke or kill animals like birds or sea turtles. We should just stick to plastic. You as an individual have the power to make a gradual change in your community. PDF Skip the Straw - Florida Department of Environmental Protection And, if you dont like wearing the same shirt or pants, Read More Dont wash it if it doesnt look dirtyContinue, At age 50, Kay is a little over halfway through her life as a driver. The country instituted the ban in 2013 to minimize livestock deaths. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. American beaver populations are booming in the western United States as conditions grow hotter and drier. But, are paper straws really better for the environment? Starting in the 1960s, plastic straw manufacturing took off. Accompanied by high social accountability and musical garbage trucks, that strategy has proved wildly effective: the island now reports recycling rates above 50 percent. Here are 3 reasons why plastic straws should not be banned, explained in a simple and easy-to-understand manner: 1. Ideally, to be suitable for recycling, bags need to be clean to be accepted, which is often a problem, considering that we use them to carry groceries and potentially leaky goods. Tushy Ace Review (After 3 Months): Is this Luxury Bidet Worth it? While we may not pay for plastic bags directly when we go shopping, they are anything but free.. They're bad for the environment, kill marine life and damage human health. These dyes on their own can leach toxins, but they can also be contaminated with traces of heavy metals such as lead or cadmium, both of which affect kidney health and proper functioning of other organs. They end up in the water, eaten by wildlife, and inside our bodies. Straws made of plastic contribute to the pollution of our seas and streams. Or you may need to accept that plastic bag this time and then start campaigning for a plastic bag ban in your area . Martin Grimm/Picture-alliance via Associated Press. We've all become too hooked on the availability and comfort of the stuff. We dont know how it will in the long term affect plankton-feeding species and their predators. 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. A calf had to be put down because of indigestion caused by 8 plastic bags in its stomach. At the beginning of July 2018, Seattle became the largest U.S. city to ban plastic straws. Should Plastic Straws Be Banned? | Persuasive Writing | Scholastic This means that you are not consuming more resources every time you need to carry your groceries home. The resulting number is staggering. Considering what important source of food plankton is for many other species, it is clear that plastic gets distributed across the marine ecosystem. Communities and consumers can play vital roles in sparking action. Paper straws are horrible and should be taken out of circulation The upshot of the Sydney study is that the California bag ban reduced plastic bag consumption by 71.5% - a huge decrease. 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. Buy a metal or bamboo reusable straw. Let us know if you liked this article. 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned - manufacturer, factory On their long journey, they will encounter many difficulties and only a small portion of them will survive. But these cases make up a small fraction of single-use plastic. That is why the United Nations Environmental Programme Secretariat has recommended a ban on all plastic bags globally. These actions are a response to calls for change and shifting consumer habits. We are a couple of environmentalists who seek inspiration for life in simple values based on our love for nature. Straws don't provide as much utility as bags, so for many this is an easy adjustment. After all, ask your grandparents, they will remember that during their time people were used to go shopping with their own bags or baskets. How Plastic Bottles Become Death Traps for Hermit Crabs. 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. This is due to the fact that the plastic tubes are far too lightweight to be recycled in an efficient manner. What Is Plastic Made Of And How Is It Manufactured? 2. Heres everything you need to know before plastic carryout bags disappear from the Empire State on March 1. They also arent accepted by recycling facilities because they can jam recycling machinery (due to their small size). The ban also kept them from littering neighborhoods and the environment. They are a part of our modern lives, and we dont tend to think much about them. Now, lets get into the negatives of a plastic straw ban: While banning plastic straws might help the environment in some aspects (well talk about this later), there are also many reasons against (or cons) of a plastic straw ban. All rights reserved. Instead of searching for another buyer, maybe some soul-searching is in order. So, plastic waste only speeds up the destruction of these most biodiverse ecosystems on earth. As for reusable straws, they arent flexible as plastic ones and can be easily forgotten at home. 10 reasons why plastic straws should be banned How? Already in 2001, researchers found that the mass of microscopic plastic fragments in the North Pacific Central Gyre was 6 times higher than of plankton. You can use some easy online locators to see the closest plastic bag drop-off. Globally, 8 to 10 percent of our current oil supply goes to a plastic bag manufacture [4]. The second, more fundamental imperative is to get plastics out of our waste stream. Don't Ban Straws - Reason.com If environmental zealots and sycophants get their way, you won't be allowed to sip it through a plastic straw. Affiliate Disclaimer: Some links on this site may be referral or affiliate links. Disney is eliminating single-use plastic straws and stirrers at all its theme parks, resorts and properties. Its also important to look at the bigger picture regarding plastic bans. The Pasig River is the eight worst source of ocean plastic pollution in the world. In Germany alone, we use 40 billion plastic straws every year. 10 Reasons Why Plastic Straws Should Be Banned? Some microplastics are even small by design, like the microbeads used in facial scrubs or the microfibers in polyester clothing. 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]. 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. Your email address will not be published. Made from fossil fuels 3. Avoid plastic wrap altogether by storing leftovers in reusable containers. When you sign up you'll become a member of NRDC's Activist Network. While an extra two cents may not seem like a lot, it could make a difference for some businesses that depend on plastic straws. Among the U.S. cities to outlaw plastic straws are Malibu, Berkeley, Seattle, and Miami Beach. What can I do for you? Plastic pollution is one of the biggest problems facing our world today. Other states such as Hawaii, cities such as Seattle and New York, and corporations such as Amazon and Starbucks are also considering or have initiated plastic phase-out plans. 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. 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. Only then would a plastic straw ban be able to actually help preserve the environment.
Copyright © 2023 | Theme by cavc joint motion for remand