Georgina: 3.3.3.1 Critical Analysis

Straw Ban

1. Exploratory:

Plastic Straw Bans Begins in some parts of the US and some parts of the world. According to the National Geographic Article it states that in July Washington D.C would be handling out fines to businesses that are still using straws. Parts of the world that attract tourist are also doing away with plastic straws. Both the US and other parts of the world dispose millions of plastic straws daily. Straws are not recyclable they are lightweight for the machines to recycle so they get into the landfills.

2. Diagnostic:

A video was circulated on how a sea turtle had a straw stuck in its nose was suffering. Just imagine as a human once something we get stuck in an open area example ear, nose or mouth we feel that discomfort and most have two hands or help to remove an object. These animals don’t usually get the help that they need until it is too late. Campaigns have been pushing to ban the use of straws for many reasons one the pollution that is it causing and two the number of animals that have been recorded that have died to the consumption of plastic. The US throws millions of straws away daily and the UK throws away 4.4 billion straws annually. Hotels are the worst offenders to use straws in the facilities. The straws are so light weight that they are not able to get recycled, so they end up in waste streams and the landfills which a lot of the trash ends up in the oceans. Since the straws are not biodegradable the plastic slowly starts to come apart which ends up as microplastics and that then looks like food to animals. In 2017 a hotel in Hawaii used up 800,000 straws.

3. Cause and Effect:

The straw ban started in the Seattle then Washington adopted the same ban against straws but also added a more effective twist that if businesses were using straws that they would be fined. I am sure that companies do not want to lose money when they could be making and do away with plastic straws. Many other states are starting to follow the ban such as Florida and California. Belize, Taiwan and England are the latest countries to propose bans on straws. Hotels in North and Central America and some cruise lines are also following the ban on straws in their establishments. The significant impact on the environment if one single hotel removed straws that would be millions of straws in a single year.

4. Priority:

Most importantly to banning straws is the amount of pollution that is created by a small piece of plastic. It is not only harmful to the environment but to humans and animals. Since the straws are not biodegradable and within time and the climate that they start to break down into small pieces of plastic known as microplastics. The microplastics then acts like a form of food that is indigested by animals, fish and birds that could harm the animal. One million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals are killed annually. 44 % are seabird species, 22 % are whales and dolphins and all sea turtle species including all fish.

5. Application:

Ban straws applies to me because this is just another form of unnecessary pollution we would be ok doing away with. I understand that some individuals may need the use of a straw due to disabilities. I know that we are very far from banning all forms of plastics, but we need to start small and if that means starting with straws. Just one single hospitality establishment doing away with straws makes an impact on the environment.

6. Critical:

My thoughts on the use of straws have changed my mind. I will no longer ask for that straw for my drink I am looking at different ways not to use as much plastic in my everyday life. I am trying to educate my family on reusing and recycling items in our household. It is sad to see that so many animals have died due to the amount of pollution that we create by using plastic from the biggest piece to the micro size of plastic. I would wish that more states in the US adopt the ban of use of straws or come up with a different alternative.

References

Howard, B. C., Gibbens, S., Zachos, E., & Parker, L. (2019, June 10, update). A running list of action on plastic pollution. Environment. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2018/07/ocean-plastic-pollution-solutions/

Hotels and Tour Operators are Eliminating Plastic Straws (nationalgeographic.com)

Plastic straw bans are spreading: here’s how they took over the world (nationalgeographic.com)

Should Plastic Straws Be Banned? [Pros & Cons of a Straw Ban in 2019] (get-green-now.com)

Plastic Straw Removed From A Sea Turtle's Nostril (Short Version) - YouTube