The cashier usually understands, only had to do what instructed and what most customers expect (unfortunately) from him or her. But single-use plastics come with a steep environmental priceone that well be paying off for millennia. 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. Tushy Ace Review (After 3 Months): Is this Luxury Bidet Worth it? Summary: Reduce your use of single-use plastics. These costs include the true environmental costs of resource extraction and depletion, the loss of quality of life, economic loss from littering, and wildlife loss. When animals ingest plastic, it clogs up their digestive systems, which can easily choke or kill animals like birds or sea turtles. Marine animals bear the burden of this influx of garbage into their habitats. Most plastic straws are made from harsh chemicals making them impossible to reuse or recycle. Yeah I end up going through like 5 paper straws because they keep disintegrating and I can't drink my drink anymore. Made from fossil fuels 3. Thoughtful laws are needed to control the problem and at the same time encourage innovation. You'll receive your first NRDC action alert and Thats a promising start. Petroleum-based plastic bags are composed of very resistant synthetic polymers that may take up to 1,000 years or never until they completely degrade in natural environments [6]. According to the United States National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, microplastics are so small that they move straight through water filtration, Read More What Are Microplastics and Why Are They a Concern? Lizzie Carr is shining a light on what is floating through the worlds waterways, and breaking athletic records along the way. LEAPE:Microplastics pervade the oceans. female pomeranian temperament; splinterlands terms and conditions; carbon emissions data by company; ( ) + . The first country to ban single-use plastic bags was Bangladesh in 2002 when plastic bag litter clogged drainage channels and contributed to destructive floods. About; Disability Vote Blog; Organizer's Forum; Issues; News; NDLA Webinars We've all become too hooked on the availability and comfort of the stuff. Plastic bag bansideally accompanied by a fee on paper bagsare also catching on. 1 producer of plastic waste in the world. Large producers of single-use plastics can make a big environmental impact. But a whopping 91 percent of all plastic isnt recycled at all. Not only does banning single-use plastic reduce pollution, but it also reduces demand for plastic production thats contributing to global climate change. | | How? 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. This means that the average consumption of plastic bags per person dropped from 328 bags per year to just 21 [20]. An outright ban on plastic straws would create an accessibility problem for disabled people while dining in public. They end up in the water, eaten by wildlife, and inside our bodies. The most heartbreaking part of this is that the affected animals are not aware they eat something that will make them feel miserable and will slowly kill them. Thanks for signing up. Straws don't provide as much utility as bags, so for many this is an easy adjustment. Not easy to recycle 7. Beyond the costs associated with the production and purchasing of plastic bags by retailers, there are many external costs that are often not considered. Activists Say Straws Should Be Banned Because They Are a 'Gateway Plastic' Advocates hope a straw ban will be the first step toward broader plastic prohibitions. You cannot recycle them in the regular curbside collection of plastic, but you should be able to find many larger food stores and retailers (for example: Target, Walmart, Tesco, Morrisons, etc.) In New York, 23 billion plastic bags are used by residents each year. The country instituted the ban in 2013 to minimize livestock deaths. JIM LEAPE: Our oceans are currently swimming with plastics. Its because Asian and US coastlines release large amounts of plastic waste in the ocean [7]. 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. Natural Resources Defense Council 2023 Privacy Policy Recently, however, plastic straws have been the subject of many plastic bans in an attempt to help the environment. If it looks clean, smells clean (and sounds clean! Actress Nina Nelson and other celebrities made a video claiming that plastic. The resulting number is staggering. Reducing plastic use is the most effective means of avoiding this waste (and the impacts linked to plastic production and use). According to a study that was published by Bloomberg News, it is predicted that the percentage of contaminated ocean water that is caused by plastic straws and stirrers is a shockingly modest 0.03 percent. 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. However, in 2014, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) supported the first project to calculate the real cost of plastic, including adverse environmental impacts of its production, use and disposal. Instead of investing in quality goods that will last, we often prioritize convenience over durability and consideration of long-term impacts. In 2008, a crocodile in Australia died because of 25 plastic bags filling its stomach [11]. State Disclosures. Once a paper product has been contaminated with food or drink, it must be disposed of in a landfill. 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. 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. Over time, sun and heat slowly turn plastics into smaller and smaller pieces until they eventually become what are known as microplastics. Plastic straws are everywhere we look. Litter can be the first stage in a waste stream that enters waterways as plastics tossed on the street are washed away by rain or travel via storm drains into rivers and streams. The decrease in demand for plastic bags forces manufacturers to reduce their production and consider expanding in a supply of alternative products. As a result, they are thrown away and frequently wind up in the ocean, where they pollute the water and eventually kill marine birds, animals, and fish. Because of this, the plants and wildlife in the area have a potential risk of absorbing the microplastics through their diets and drinking water. This form of ban could lead to a reduction in landfill across the country, going a long way to protect the nature and serenity of the area. Rating: 5 (913 reviews) Highest rating: 5. But, getting rid of all single-use plastics definitely will. But you should also consider the other perspective what effect single-use bags have had on the local economy and product affordability. Es gratis registrarse y presentar tus propuestas laborales. 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. 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. LEAPE:There are two clear imperatives. Or you may need to accept that plastic bag this time and then start campaigning for a plastic bag ban in your area . Beached whales have been found with stomachs full of plastic trash. This means that you need to first educate yourself about the problem. 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. And cracker plantswhich break, or crack, ethane molecules, a component of natural gas, into the chemical building blocks of plastic productsare energy intensive and highly polluting. The second, more fundamental imperative is to get plastics out of our waste stream. Straws make up roughly 4 percent of the plastic waste in terms of the number of pieces, but a far smaller percentage in terms of the weight.Due to the fact that the typical weight of a straw is just around one sixty-seventh of an ounce, or 42 grams, the total weight of all those billions of straws combined only accounts for roughly 2,000 tons of the almost 9 million tons of plastic debris that enters the sea each year. When the monsoon rains start, streets get waterlogged just after the first few minutes because the water cannot pass through clogged sewerage pipes. Plastic straws are also the 6th most common trash item found during ocean cleanups. Even if you can't go zero waste entirely, it's high time we all ended our reliance on single use plastics. Plastic waste, mostly broken down into tiny particles, floats in huge blobs amid ocean current patterns called gyres that together cover as much as 40 percent of Earths ocean surface. Scientists are showing that we are sending tons of tiny plastic particles into our soils each year, potentially affecting crops and our health. Even when you dont see it, these indestructible particles are everywhere around us, including in the food chain. These microscopic plastic fragments, no more than 5 millimeters long, are hard to detectand are just about everywhere. Similar fate has met dolphins, seals, cats, dogs, deer and many other animals which got severely cut on their bodies due to plastic bag entanglement. Growing public concern has inspired movements to ban single-use plastics, most notably straws. Come with external costs 9. Plastic bags are often mistaken for food by animals, birds, and marine life. 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? Low rated: 2. Plastic waste, mostly broken down into tiny particles, floats in huge blobs amid ocean current patterns called gyres that together cover as much as 40 percent of Earth's ocean surface. Start from yourself and slowly expand to your family and friends. Single-use plastics are most commonly used for packaging and serviceware, such as bottles, wrappers, straws, and bags. You should examine what alternatives are available and whether local retailers, who often operate with a limited monthly budget, have the ability to make the switch. Straws are notorious for being readily blown away by the wind. There were numerous cases of birds caught in plastic bags, unable to fly and feed, eventually strangling themselves to death. In fact, I just listed many reasons and points in this article that support both sides of the argument. In early January 2020, China joined the growing movement of more than 120 countries pledging to ban single-use plastics.The country of 1.4 billion citizens is the No. 5 Metals in your Home that can be Recycled for Cash, How exactly bidets offer a healthier, green option for your bathroom, A Closer Look at General Motors (GM) Sustainability Initiatives. Look around and you will notice that plastic bags are the most common litter. In effect, nature has designed this plastic for disassembly. It's free to sign up and bid on jobs. Manufacturers began replacing traditionally paper or glass staples with lighter or more durable and affordable plastic alternatives; plastic jugs replaced milk jars, for instance. Nows the Time. But this comes along with many unanswered questions. There is a lot of research now underway on the health effects of ocean plastics, but we already know that some plastics, and the chemicals that attach themselves to plastics in the water, can cause cancer, genetic disruptions and other ill effects. 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. They are also not biodegradable and cannot be broken down naturally by bacteria and other decomposers into non-toxic materials. Have you ever seen endangered sea turtles hatch? Talk to the owners of the restaurants you frequent. Ask if they have nonplastic alternatives to plastic straws, stirrers, or bags. Starbucks plans to phase out plastic straws by 2020. Shuddering and unable to breathe, he vomited up five plastic bags. By being aware about these issues, you will be ready to present some strong arguments why plastic bags should be banned in your area and answer questions of people who will become your ally if you will persuade them about your good intentions. It may not seem like much, but when you imagine how many bags they have to provide throughout a year, you will quickly realize that plastic bags are costly. Dont re-wash something if you can wear it again. After all, ask your grandparents, they will remember that during their time people were used to go shopping with their own bags or baskets. Since the 1950s, 8.3 billion metric tons of plastics have been produced, and half of that in the past 15 years alone. Unfortunately, such a high level of pollution doesnt come without consequences. 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. What to do with plastic bags you already have at home? Many of the chemicals in plastics are known endocrine disruptors,and research has suggested that human exposure could cause health impacts including hormonal imbalances, reproductive problems like infertility, and even cancer. If you are a kid reading this, and you want to get green and help the Earth, you are at the right place. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Left alone, plastics dont really break down; they just break up. We will 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. And recent studies found plastic in the guts of 90 percent of the seabirds tested and 100 percent of the turtles. Such is the case with many environmental crises: the worst effects are pushed onto overburdened communities with the fewest resources to fight back. 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. Participate in beach or river cleanups. These examples could go on for a long time. Well, before putting it into the laundry basket, take a look at it closely. Polypropylene is a form of plastic that is frequently used in the production of straws. She can remember all of her vehicles the Pontiac 6000, her familys car that was passed on to her when she went to college; the Volkswagen Rabbit, and later Fox, that took her through young adulthood; the Honda Civics,, Read More Car Recycling: Everything You Need to Know (With Statistics)Continue, Whether youre a scuba diver, snorkeler, or amateur swimmer, the ocean is a playground where you come to explore the beauty of nature and the difference from your regular lifes environment. Animals living in the ocean might frequently confuse the plastic for food.