Photo by weheartit.com
The drinking straw legally originated in 1888 when a man named Marvin Stone patented his design for a paper straw, and by 1890, they were being mass produced. The straw got its ability to bend in the 1930s when Joseph Friedman made a slight modification to help his daughter be able to successfully finish her milkshake. Plastic hit the scene in full force during the second world war, and after the war’s end, plastic manufacturers needed something else to make. So, they turned to making cheap, affordable goods, such as straws. During the 1960s, factories began producing plastic straws, and the industry took off from there. However, at the time of its inception, nobody knew the immense impact that straws, and their other plastic relatives, would have on the planet today.
The biggest issue with plastic is that it doesn’t decompose quickly, if at all. On average, it takes more than 400 years for plastic to degrade. Sure, plastic can be recycled, but of all the plastics ever made, only nine percent has been recycled according to a recent study. So, the majority ends up in landfills and the ocean. In the ocean, the plastics break up into small pieces, called microplastics. Because it’s in smaller pieces, it’s much easier for marine animals to consume, posing a threat to marine wildlife as a whole. It’s estimated that about eight million tons of plastic enter the oceans each year, and straws comprise only .025 percent of that. However, even though these everyday items make up a small part of the problem of single use plastics, they’re definitely making a noticeable impact.
In recent years, politicians and environmental advocates have been trying to ban straws. The straw ban campaign is thought to have begun with the release of a video from August 2015 detailing the removal of a straw from the nostril of an innocent sea turtle. The straw’s presence inhibited the turtle’s breathing, and its removal took about five minutes, resulting in physical distress for the turtle. Utilizing pathos, this video evoked a strong response from the audience: target straws and try to eliminate them.
This movement led many companies and cities to take action on this issue. California banned or limited plastic straw use. As of July 2018, Seattle is the largest city in the United States to ban plastic straws. Large companies such as Starbucks and Disney set an example for other companies by banning straws as well. Additionally, several celebrities such as Tom Brady, Mick Jagger, and Chelsea Clinton have gotten on board to abandon straws. With the increased awareness of the environmental effects of single-use plastics and of the campaigns addressing the issue, everyday people are becoming more conscious about the products they’re using. So, what alternatives are there to plastic straws?
There are many types of straws in addition to plastic straws: naturally degradable straws, glass straws, and metal straws. Naturally degradable straws are mainly made of paper and bamboo. A concern with paper straws is that they’ll break down in the drink. However, Aardvark Straws ensures that their straws are rigid enough that this won’t happen. There are also edible straws made of seaweed-based material. The downside with these paper and edible straws is that they can’t be reused. However, bamboo straws are washable, durable, and reusable, offering a possibly viable alternative to the regular plastic straw. Glass straws are advertised as being sustainable, durable, fun, safe, and dishwasher safe. My concern however is that these straws might easily break. Metal straws are advertised as being tasteless and odorless. The most durable, in my opinion, of all the options listed, metal straws are probably the best type of reusable straw. But, are reusable straws or even straws made of paper even practical?
Photo by ecoglassstraws.com
I’ve found that the majority of the times I use a straw are when I’m out in public, typically drinking a smoothie or eating at a restaurant. In order for reusable straws to make an impact on the planet and cut down on straw use, I’d need to actually carry my hypothetical reusable straw with me and use it. But, as a college student, this just isn’t realistic because whenever I leave my dorm, I try to take as little as possible with me, expecting to be out all day. A reusable straw is just another thing to keep track of that’ll probably end up lost. Reusable straws would also have to be washed in between uses to prevent the growth of bacteria and other harmful microbes. When out for the day, this just isn’t practical.
Paper straws seem to be another reasonable alternative, especially if they’re completely biodegradable. But, the problem here lies in what it’d cost for the companies and institutions providing the straws. It’s estimated that a paper straw will cost about a penny more than a plastic straw, and for large corporations, this could mean hundreds of millions of dollars.
So, even though efforts have been made to replace plastic straws with straws made of other materials, it seems that the best green solution to plastic straws is simply to not use straws at all.
How interesting–I didn’t know that Starbucks and Disney had begun to get rid of single-use straws! I knew that Starbucks rolled out an array of reusable drinking items, including straws, but I didn’t know that they were in the process of ending their use of single-use straws!