Straws are incredibly useful. They allow us to consume our favorite beverages, whether that be water or otherwise, without the hassle of making a mess. They're simple, convenient, and easy to use. They are, however, a nuisance as well. With nearly 500 million plastic straws being used in the U.S. every single day (enough to fill 127 school buses according to ecocycle.org) they might be more trouble than they're worth, especially for marine wildlife. As these straws continue to pile up, and continue to hurt humans and the animals around us, it's time to think about ways we can limit, or even end, our use of them. So, let's take a look at straws: why they're so bad, and what we can do to refuse, reuse, and recycle them.
Why are they bad?
First off, we need to talk about why exactly straws are harmful, and there are a few reasons for this. Most of them I've already discussed in general posts about plastics, but I'll summarize a few of the ones directly related to straws here:
Hurts animals: straws can hurt animals both externally and internally. Externally if they scrape against the outer layer of an animal's skin, and internally if they are consumed. As many of us know, most animals can't tell the difference between a plastic straw and food, and as such they eat them both. Straws in particular can cause greater damage because of their size and shape, getting stuck in animal's mouths, noses, and intestines. They can even scrape against inner linings of organs too, which can cause severe internal bleeding.
Collects chemicals: like other plastics, straws can collect chemicals within water over time, making them poisonous to animals. Additionally, if animals that we eat come into contact with or eat these straws, then the chemicals come right back to us.
Makes microplastics: because straws are typically smaller than other types of plastics, they tend to break down faster in water. As I've mentioned before in other posts, plastic doesn't quite break down in the way we think it would. Rather than decompose into their original components, they break down into smaller and smaller pieces of plastic, until they become known as microplastics. If you want to learn more about microplastics and the effects THEY have, you can click here. But let me tell you, it's not good.
Refuse
Okay, so now that we know a bit about the effects they have, we can start discussing how to minimize their use. Lucky for us, reducing use of plastic straws is really quite easy. As long as you use cups that don't require the use of a straw, then they're never really necessary. And in restaurants, a simple "Can I get a glass of ______, but without a straw" should suffice. Now, this solution is really obvious, but it comes down to our willingness to do two things: first, bear the possible "inconvenience" of not using a straw, and second, actually request to not be brought a straw.
Back to the old days
But what if you really, really like using straws? Well, there's still better alternatives to help you refuse plastic ones. Currently, there are dozens of companies making cheap, well-made paper straws. In fact, before plastic straws were ever used, paper ones were dominant. One of the most notable paper straw brands, Aardvark Straws, makes an incredible product: they're made without chemicals, manufactured in the U.S., and are actually cheaper than plastic straws. You can pick up some right from their website, and speaking from experience, it's worth it. They're made so they don't break down in water easily and, being compostable, they don't affect marine wildlife OR pollute at all.
Reuse
This one is pretty straightforward as well. Say you forgot to ask for a drink without a straw, and now you're left with one in your drink you don't want to use. Well, if handled and washed gently, regular plastic straws can actually be reused a multitude of times. If you do wash it, you can even give it to a friend to use instead of them using an entirely new one. Additionally, if you think reusing a straw to drink with is gross, there are a ton of cool, crafty ways to reuse them for other means. Click here for eleven great ideas on how you can reuse these straws around the house.
Metal and reusable plastic
For those that want to continue using straws, but don't want to have to continue purchasing paper ones, there are still options. Various companies make metal straws, as well as ones made out of reusable plastic, that work quite well. I myself carry around a reusable plastic one, and it works just as well, if not better, than a non-reusable. These can be easily purchased through a quick search on a website like Amazon. Just remember to wash them after each use!
Recycle
So, worst case scenario: you've used a plastic straw, and now you're looking to dispose of it. What are your options? Well, typically straws are made out of #2 or #5 plastic, both of which are recyclable. However, you need to make sure to check with your local recycling program, as even though plastic straws are "recyclable" some facilities don't accept #2 or #5 plastic. Why this is, I'm not quite sure. And what's more, there's no way to tell which plastic the straw is made out of, as they're typically not printed with a recycling sign and number. So, check with your local utility: if they accept both #2 and #5 plastics, then it's okay to put them in the recycling. If they only accept one, or none for that matter,
then it's best to throw them in the trash.
Of course, if we can avoid using these straws altogether, then that would be best.
Conclusion
Plastic straws are a nuisance. They give us a momentary benefit, yes, but for some animals a lifetime of pain as well. Luckily, it's really quite easy to avoid using them, it just requires a bit of forethought and planning, as well as the courage to speak up a bit about it. Ultimately, the decision to minimize plastic straw usage is up to you: is the convenience worth it? Implementing an alternative into our lifestyles is really quite easy, it just takes a little bit of effort to start. Are you willing to put in that effort, for the benefit of marine animals? Or, would you prefer to keep using plastic straws, embrace the convenience, and accept the consequences that the convenience comes with? In the end, the decision is up to you.
All credit for information used in this post goes to:
http://ecocycle.org/bestrawfree/faqs
https://www.instructables.com/id/11-unusual-uses-for-straws/
http://keenforgreen.com/recycle/are_straws_recyclable
https://search.earth911.com/
Images:
https://ciwm-journal.co.uk/eac-accuses-government-dragging-feet-plastic-waste/
https://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/responsible-living/stories/16-simple-ways-reduce-plastic-waste
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3LTMf8KKFg
https://vacuumcleanerszone.co.uk/online-articles/shoppers-guide-to-avoiding-toxic-chemicals/
https://phys.org/news/2013-12-microplastics-marine-worms-sick.html
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/starbucks/the-last-straw-starbucks-pledges-to-eliminate-plastic-straws-globally-by-2020/
https://blog.trashbackwards.com/2012/04/17/straws/
https://funfamilycrafts.com/paper-straw-christmas-trees/
https://masonjarlifestyle.com/product/long-rounded-stainless-steel-straws-quart-mason-jars/
https://www.classroomfreebies.com/2013/03/recycle-poster.html
http://thecontextofthings.com/2017/07/22/effective-decision-making/
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