PERSPECTIVE
Ever asked for a drink of water at an eatery and it came with a plastic straw in the glass?
You probably didn’t ask for that piece of relatively rigid plastic, and it will very probably go right into the landfill trash after your nasty lips touch it, along with 500 million other such straws in America PER DAY. (Double that number for the whole planet.)
Look around you in any crowded public setting, especially on a warm day, and chances are good that anyone holding a drink cup will have a scourge of the ocean sticking out of it.
Happily, “single-use” plastic straws are getting more critical attention lately, but the numbers still stagger: plastic straws used in the U.S. would overfill a baseball stadium every six weeks. And when the stadium is emptied, where do all those straws go? Many don’t actually make it to a landfill or they blow off – – and eventually end up in the oceans, where they combine with LOTS of other undegradable plastics (such as plastic swizzle sticks) to strangle, infect and otherwise hamper sea life. Plastic is forever.
Meanwhile, frequent partners to plastic drinking straws in “single-use” crime are plastic utensils, which I once thought could be washed instead of tossed. However, I’ve learned that eating off reused plasticware is NOT as safe as reusing silverware. “Single use” really means just that, and such items are designed accordingly (to be cheap). They break down quickly and can act as a magnet for bacteria. A plastic fork has plenty of tine-y spaces to harbor unseen and unhealthy bits, even after going through a dishwasher.
PRACTICAL
Have you reached the “Sipping Point” where you can at least request “No straw, please”? Being proactive – – by refusing to use (or buy) plastic straws – – not only reduces the number in circulation, but also sends an important message to commercial providers, who hopefully will soon join in the growing movement to at least ask first if a patron wants a straw. (To which you can politely respond, “No, and thanks for asking!”)
You’ll also see more and more earth-friendly settings, such as group picnics and potlucks, that ask folks to bring their own table settings, a simple tactic that seriously reduces waste and just takes a little extra preparation – – well worth it. And if you’re going to wash plastic forks to reuse them, why not use silverware anyway? Same degree of washing involved, really.
And there are good ways to substitute with less toxic materials, such as described in this list of “7 Smart Replacements For Single-Use Plastics” (at Recyclebank): https://livegreen.recyclebank.com/the-list-7-smart-replacements-for-single-use-plastics
One can develop an increasingly effective antenna for “single-use” items that very often include the kind of plastic that we want to eliminate. Best to avoid them altogether, but if you do have need of such things for picnics or large groups, please know that your city composter may not WANT them even if they are designated “compostable.” (In Bellingham, for instance, our Green Earth Technologies’ composting process is too rapid to allow time for these utensils to fully decompose, so they prefer not getting them at all.)
FINER POINT
I note that folks who need to use straws for drinking deserve considerate regard. And there are, of course, various newer models of drinking straws to choose from – – pricey, no doubt, but growing in both usage and diversity. A quick web search will turn up examples and comparisons of glass, stainless steel, flax or bamboo straws. (Paper straws, however, get a thumbs-down for the bleach and chemicals used in their production.)
Check out the Last Plastic Straw Association, https://thelastplasticstraw.org– – creative advocates who “educate the public about the absurdity of single use plastic, its effects on our health, our environment, and our oceans.”
I found a simple angle from Zero Waste Tasmania (Tasmania, no less!)– – “No Straw Mini-Challenge: For one whole week, live like single-use drinking straws don’t exist. Say no to straws! Remember (to bring) a reusable drinking straw, or just use your lips!”
Meanwhile, if you’ve already adjusted to carrying a personal drinking cup (recommended highly!) and you regularly bring reusable shopping bags to the store with you, your next surprisingly easy challenge could be getting used to also keeping a wrapped set or two of traveling cutlery nearby and at hand (like in the car glovebox or your backpack).
And one can usually find a website that portrays fun ways to repurpose lots of different things. For instance, here’s a great list of “23 PRACTICAL WAYS TO REUSE DISPOSABLE STRAWS”:
https://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2015/02/23-practical-ways-reuse-disposable-straws.html
Many thanks for your good efforts!
TIMELY ADDENDUM! Shortly after publishing this blog, The Seattle Times came out with a story about the upcoming (July 1) city-wide BAN on plastic straws and utensils: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/plastic-straw-ban-hits-seattle-next-month/