Do plastic straws really make a difference?

Plastic waste currently covers about 40% of the ocean's surface and several countries and states have elected to ban plastic straws in order to fight against pollution, but plastic straws are not the problem. Yes, single use plastics are damaging to the environment and should be banned, but plastic straws make up less than one percent of the ocean's pollution. Enforcing the belief that banning single-use straws will solve the problem is a tactic used by corporations that allows them to feel they have done their part in fixing the problem, when in reality the ban of single-use plastics needs to be a first step to rethinking our waste production and finding alternative methods to all non-biodegradable waste.

Website Link: https://earth.stanford.edu/news/do-plastic-straws-really-make-difference

Comments

  1. AnonymousSeptember 10, 2019 at 10:24 AM

    While plastic straws are only a small percent of what contributes to climate change, a good alternative is a bamboo straw, metal straws aren't biodegradable and they do not wash well over time. While plastic straws create only a small percent of pollution, large companies create much of the Earth's pollution. If all companies reduced their plastic use, it would greatly reduce climate change.

    ReplyDelete
  2. chrheaSeptember 15, 2019 at 8:59 AM

    Use the "link" feature to create a clickable link next time.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousSeptember 15, 2019 at 5:02 PM

    I completely agree with you about how places are banning plastic straws to make themselves seem all nice and wonderful when in reality the bans are not doing anything. for example the city of San Francisco handed out 5.8 million free plastic syringes last year, most of which lie littered on the streets. You can potentially be imprisoned for using a plastic straw but the same place that will imprison you will give you a free plastic needle then be okay with you leaving it on the street. this further proves your point that the main goal for campaigns like these are pretty much only for publicity and serve no actual purpose other than such. good job!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousSeptember 15, 2019 at 6:36 PM

    You're absolutely right. The fact that people make it seem like the end to pollution lies with a ban on plastic straws is ignorant; yes, reducing the amount of plastic created and thrown away will ultimately help the environment, but plastic straws aren't what we should be focusing on.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousSeptember 18, 2019 at 6:09 PM

    I believe that there is no need to ban plastic straws. Yes they do make up a very small part of the pollution but think about what the cup you are using with that plastic straw is made of. Plastic! Why not ban plastic cups to?

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousSeptember 30, 2019 at 11:02 AM

    I fully agree with you. There should be more being done to help reduce the amount of plastic pollution with things that take up more than one percent of all the pollutants. Banning plastic straws may help but there's bigger problems than that.

    ReplyDelete

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