The phrase “reduce, reuse and recycle” has been embedded into our minds since we could learn to talk and retain information. But how far does that saying really go and how much does it actually apply to?
Plastic straws can be found almost anywhere, at any given time. However, it has always been more challenging to find a plastic straw that is actually safe to reuse or recyclable. But it’s plastic, so it has to be recyclable, right? Well, not exactly; every plastic straw that is made starts out from natural elements: a piece of coal, oil, or gas. Up until the early 1900s, straws were being made this way. Then, the first synthetic straw was made out of fossil fuels some years later. Because of the way these new straws are made, the plastic isn’t very recyclable anymore, or very reusable. This causes problems in the environment: straws being thrown in trash, trash taken to landfill, trash being hauled off across oceans, spilling into oceans and becoming harmful to animals. Since some people tend to just reuse the same plastic straw a few times, it can be harmful to the body. As the straw gets used more and more, bacteria from our mouths and our drinks break down the material. Ingesting the material which straws are made of, over a long course of time, can be harmful to the bloodstream. According to Business Insider’s Article, “The real reason why so many cities and businesses are banning plastic straws” stated that about 88 pounds of plastic is produced per human on Earth. This does not help the collection of trash that has been named “the Great Pacific Garbage Patch,” which is larger than two Texases.
So what exactly sparked the ban on plastic, specifically straws? In 2015, a video by a Texas A&M graduate showed the internet why plastic straws are horrible for the environment. In the video, a sea turtle had a plastic straw removed from one of its nostrils. Since then, the video has gone viral and sparked a nationwide movement to ban all plastic straws from everywhere, starting with Starbucks. The theory is that if a major company that has millions of customers worldwide goes strawless, why shouldn’t other companies do the same?
But what does this mean for Blackburn? In Snack Bar, they provide plastic straws that all get thrown in the trash — mainly because they are provided with styrofoam cups which are also not recyclable. But Snack Bar is aware of the straw issue. On a napkin dispenser, a flier reads, “Think about the turtles. Do you really need a straw?”
In my opinion, banning plastic straws all together wouldn’t be so great. However, I am not totally against the idea. As an animal-lover, I am hoping that plastic straws that aren’t recyclable be banned everywhere. In return, then, customers are provided with alternative straws, whether that be recyclable straws, biodegradable straws, or even reusable straws. People use a straw for different reason: age, disability, a phobia, and even just for comfort. To help with this issue, everyone can reduce their usage of plastic straws or maybe just invest in a reusable glass straw. As an avid straw user, investing in a reusable straw would be very beneficial for not just the environment, but also for myself. I typically reuse a not-so-reusable straw about four to five times before I change it. However, investing in a glass straw, I wouldn’t have to worry about reusing the same, gross plastic straw.
But what is the cost of switching? On average, a plastic straw is made overseas, shipped in and costs about $0.01. Switching over to biodegradable straws would cost around $0.20 for wholesale orders. But, I believe that the cost is worth saving the oceans.