A laboratory photograph of microplastics found in the Corsica River in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, Maryland, An albatross found dead with a belly full of plastic on Midway Atoll. Although, really, these tips can be used by anyone, not just kids. . 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. How Plastic Bottles Become Death Traps for Hermit Crabs. Let companies that make your favorite products know that you care about the packaging. Car Modifications for Electric Vehicles: Whats Possible. There are definitely differing opinions on whether or not plastic straws should be banned. They're not alone. Companies are trying to sell communities on a toxic solution to the plastic pollution crisis. Plastic use costs approximately $75 billion a year [16]. To align with global efforts, India banned single-use plastic items from July 1, 2022. How? Such is the case with many environmental crises: the worst effects are pushed onto overburdened communities with the fewest resources to fight back. 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. Well, lets have a look at the most important reasons why single-use plastic bags should be banned right now. The reason to worry is that scientists do not know how our metabolism and immunity will react to the increased concentration of plastic particles in our system. A 2018 study of coral reefs in the Asia-Pacific has confirmed that plastic waste deposited on coral reefs promotes outbreaks of diseases that gradually destroy whole reef colonies [12]. Plastic, in general, is one of the biggest pollutants in the world. In fact, plastic straws only make up around 0.03 percent of total plastic waste by mass. O This requires the usage of 500 million straws, Straws and other items made of plastic are harmful, Every day in the United States. So, plastic waste only speeds up the destruction of these most biodiverse ecosystems on earth. 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]. But you should also consider the other perspective what effect single-use bags have had on the local economy and product affordability. One recent survey found plastics in 94 percent of tap water samples in the U.S. and in nearly every brand of bottled water. In this article, Ill go over both the pros and cons of a plastic straw ban. Most drop-off collection points accept plastic bags made from high-density polyethylene (plastic number 2) and low-density polyethylene (plastic number 4). 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]. Each day, the United States of America uses 500 million drinking straws. It started with cardboard straws, but once plastic production in America increased, people realized it was quicker and cheaper to produce plastic straws. 4. If you are constantly feeling gassy, then you should definitely consider drinking beverages the old fashioned way. When the monsoon rains start, streets get waterlogged just after the first few minutes because the water cannot pass through clogged sewerage pipes. 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. You are free to have your own personal opinion on whether or not we should ban plastic straws. Our reliance on these plastics means we are accumulating waste at a staggering rate. The Pasig River in the Philippines is another scary example of the negative effects of plastic bags on the environment. For example, a reusable jute bag should last at least 4 years, during which it can prevent the use of 600 single-use plastic bags. Those global companies can be important levers in driving change and shifting to a regenerative, circular economy. Oene Moedt-Foto Natura/Minden via National Geographic Images, Major Corporations and Single-Use Plastics, secluded Pyrenees mountain range and down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, and research has suggested that human exposure, 4.8 million and 12.7 million metric tons of plastic, one of the most greenhouse gasintensive industries in the manufacturing sector, could reach 1.34 gigatons per year by 2030, an audit of plastic pollution along coastlines. This way, disabled people can continue to be served, while also reducing the number of plastic straws that we use. Instead it ends up in landfills or in the environment. 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. Her Stand-Up Paddleboard Is a Platform for Campaigning Against Plastic Pollution, A Growing Concern: Microplastic Pollution on Farm Fields. Marine animals bear the burden of this influx of garbage into their habitats. Driven by public pressure, governments and corporations are considering eliminating or phasing out single-use plastics such as straws. Paper straws cannot be recycled in any way. By 2030, CEO James Quincey has pledged to use 50 percent recycled material in its bottles and cans and recycle one bottle or can. 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. Stanford Reportspoke withJim Leape, co-director of theStanford Center for Ocean Solutions, andCraig Criddle, a professor of civil and environmental engineering, about the path to reducing ocean plastic pollution. 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. 2. All rights reserved. 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. CRIDDLE:Cost is a huge issue. The production of these bags is very energy intensive. Thats a promising start. Not easy to recycle 7. Here are 3 reasons why plastic straws should not be banned, explained in a simple and easy-to-understand manner: 1. What to do with plastic bags you already have at home? Plastic straws only account for roughly one percent of the total amount of waste plastic found in the ocean. The majority of this pollutiondominated by single-use plastic wastecomes from countries lacking infrastructure to properly manage waste, particularly in Asia. Some Disabled People Require Plastic Straws to Drink For some people with disabilities, straws are the only way they can drink. But this comes along with many unanswered questions. These tiny plastic particles have been found in our oceans, soil, and even in the air. National Geographic made a video on how helpless it feels to be caught in a plastic bag. 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. A recent report showed that plastic production contributes to planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions at every point in its life cycle. There is only one requirement these plastic bags need to be dry and clean, otherwise they contaminate the entire batch and your effort will do more harm than good. 82 percent of the responding food service establishments were aware of the prohibition, and 69 percent of those establishments viewed the ban favorably. Most plastic straws are made from harsh chemicals making them impossible to reuse or recycle. The upshot of the Sydney study is that the California bag ban reduced plastic bag consumption by 71.5% - a huge decrease. Some Disabled People Require Plastic Straws to Drink For some people with disabilities, straws are the only way they. 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. Alternatives to plastic straws, such as paper, may not always be effective for disabled people: paper can be bitten through or broken easily. A wave of single-use plastic bans is sweeping the country and the globemost often on plastic bags, straws, stirrers, and takeout clamshells. Plastic bags are everywhere. (Source: Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment), Stanford scientists are among a growing number of researchers harnessing artificial intelligence techniques to bring more realistic representations of ubiquitous atmospheric ripples into global climate models. Sea turtles are not the only species suffering from plastic bag pollution of the environment. 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. Thanks for signing up. In effect, nature has designed this plastic for disassembly. 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. 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. Ultimately, we can further decrease costs and achieve economies of scale through decentralized production systems and perhaps also at large biorefineries. Globally, 8 to 10 percent of our current oil supply goes to a plastic bag manufacture [4]. It's free to sign up and bid on jobs. Sugar and oils are too expensive. (Some places are going so far as to ban single-use plastics entirely; most notably, India intends to go this route by 2022.) According to market research firms, Americans use about 350 million plastic straws every single day. Sadly, one of their newly acquired enemies is created by us who should protect them instead. Martin Grimm/Picture-alliance via Associated Press. Greentumble was founded in the summer of 2015 by us, Sara and Ovi. Plastic straws (like most plastic) are non-biodegradable, meaning that it cant be naturally broken down by decomposers. What is the root of the problem (consumers or municipal waste management)? 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. The country instituted the ban in 2013 to minimize livestock deaths. Then, they have a propensity to break down into microplastics, which then clutter the ecosystems in question. CRIDDLE:We need to think about what incentives will promote a culture of recycling and innovation with respect to waste streams. Made from petroleum products, Baekland's " bakelite " plastic was a revolutionary material. Banning straws may confer 'moral license' allowing companies and their customers to feel they have done their part. We hear everywhere around us that we need to save energy. New research shows their prolific dam building benefits river water quality so much, it outweighs the damaging influence of climate-driven droughts. When you sign up you'll become a member of NRDC's Activist Network. Large producers of single-use plastics can make a big environmental impact. Such changes could have outsized benefits for vulnerable populations that rely on rivers for their water supply. It is good for our environment, health and global climate. NDLA National Disability Leadership Alliance: Nothing About Us Without Us. Beached whales have been found with stomachs full of plastic trash. By simply using less plastic, you can help keep marine life from eating and getting entangled in garbage. Considering what important source of food plankton is for many other species, it is clear that plastic gets distributed across the marine ecosystem. But single-use plastics come with a steep environmental priceone that well be paying off for millennia. Thoughtful laws are needed to control the problem and at the same time encourage innovation. Plastic straws have an especially high propensity to end up in our rivers after being thrown away. Plastics bags are not so much necessary that man cannot live without it. This means that you are not consuming more resources every time you need to carry your groceries home.

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