Eng 102 8-10 page research paper
Across the U.S. and other countries around the globe, bans on plastic straws and other small plastics have gained momentum as well as a lot of attention. The call for plastic bans is nothing new and such bans have already been implemented by many local governments throughout the past several years. With that said, what makes more recent straw bans so polarizing and can they actually help to mitigate the plastic pollution problem? While the small straws are not the biggest culprit of plastic pollution in our oceans, the tiny drinking tool can spur important conversations about our use of the material and habits as consumers. So, while banning straws and other disposables may not save the oceans, it is this important questioning and self-reflection that holds the potential to spur large scale change to reduce plastic pollution.
Since the invention of plastic in the late 18th century, the use of the material has grown tremendously due to the convenience it provides. Plastic is cheap, lightweight and also ensures that products we purchase are not tampered with and safe for our use and consumption. While these are all great benefits of the invention of plastic, the amount at which we consume these products and subsequently discard of them have created a number of problems for our environment, wildlife and human health alike. For many, once a plastic bottle goes into the trash or recycling bin, it is out of sight out of mind, unfortunately, that bottle will never be fully done away with. Plastic is not biodegradable, and although it will eventually break down into tiny pieces of plastic called "micro-plastics" it will linger in our oceans, wildlife and eventually in our own bodies from our consumption of food and water.
Since plastic will eventually break down into these small "micro-plastic" particles that we cannot see with our naked eye, many are not able to grasp the scale of the plastic pollution problem. The reality is that plastic pollution has grown drastically over the years to the point that there are now large patches of garbage floating around the ocean. To put it into perspective, there is a large garbage patch twice the size of Texas that is floating around the Pacific knows as The Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch. Garbage patches are formed when tides and currents bring garbage that was disposed of in the ocean together so it clumps up, forming huge masses of trash. Not only are garbage patches huge area wise but most of the garbage is actually caught beneath the surface of the water and often stretches for miles deep into the ocean. Radhika Viswanathan, a science and health intern for VOX news, wrote an article describing the recent plastic straw bans in which she describes the severity of plastic pollution. According to Viswanathan, only 1% of garbage in these patches is on the surface, most is submerged beneath the water and will eventually end up on the ocean floors.
Despite the fact that we may never see a garbage patch for ourselves in the ocean, the threat of plastic pollution on wildlife and human health is not invisible. There are endless videos online that document animals in distress after being entangled in plastic waste, many animals unfortunately washed up on beaches with their stomachs full of garbage. The reality is that animals are dying every year at staggering rates due to plastic pollution and many species are now facing the threat of extinction. The EcoWatch website provides a list of plastic pollution facts that highlights the rate at which wildlife is perishing due to plastic pollution. An estimated one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die every year due to plastic pollution from entanglement or consumption. An article hosted online by One Green Planet found that 700 species of marine life are facing extinction threats due to interaction with plastic pollution as well as the prediction that there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans by the year 2050. This leaves marine life extremely vulnerable to premature death and extinction as their habitat becomes increasing littered with waste.
It is common knowledge that ingesting plastic is detrimental to both wildlife and human life. However, human health is affected differently. Because plastic will eventually break down into tiny micro plastics, it is found in the bodies of fish we consume as well as the water we drink. Micro plastics have even been found in fresh water lakes not just in the ocean. Arizona State University Institute Science writer, Richard Harth, described some of the perils that are linked to human exposure of micro plastics. As plastic breaks down, dangerous chemicals are released which eventually end up in our body. Bisphenol-A, or BPA, is the most known chemical that seeps out from plastic. BPA is a known carcinogen that is known to disrupt our hormones and exposure to them has been linked to prostate and mammary cancer specifically as well as birth defects. The threat increases with early exposure to these chemicals, including unborn children in utero by their mother's own exposure. Humans are exposed to these chemicals daily and unfortunately, the funneling of waste into the ocean and environment is too substantial that more must be done to prevent it.
While recycling is a practice that aids in the prevention of plastic pollution, it is simply not enough to curb waste output. Recycling is a practice that should be continued and taught to children to promote the adoption of sustainable habits, but more so the focus should be on preventing the production of waste. The reason being is that our output of waste far surpasses the rate of which we are recycling plastic. Jenna Parker, a writer for National Geographic whom specializes in marine wildlife and climate change, indicated in an article that a staggering 91% of plastic is not recycled. So, even if recycling increased worldwide, it will do nothing to the rate of which plastic is being produced and discarded of. This is where plastic bans come into play. Banning certain plastics in order to prevent waste entering the stream.
Recent bans on plastic straws are not likely to save the ocean from pollution despite their prevalent use. What plastic straw bans will do is create a conversation about habits as consumers and prompt us to take part in adopting a more sustainable lifestyle. Plastic bans have been around for several years, mostly in the form of plastic bag bans along coastal towns. There are also several countries whom have similar bans on plastic bags or whom tax plastic bags as incentive to use them less. Plastic straw bans have been able to reach millions of people in ways that bag bans have not. Such bans are also being pushed by celebrities and large companies whom vow to do their part to help clean up some of the plastic pollution plaguing our planet. Before plastic straw bans gained traction this year, a young man named Milo Cress convinced a local restaurant owner to offer straws as opposed to simply providing them to every customer. This all happened with Milo was just 9 years old and the local restaurant in Vermont was the first establishment in the country to really question our use of the tiny tool. Since then Dr. Heather Truelove, an associate professor of psychology, along with director of Lonely Whale Environmental Group, Dune Ives, have pushed to campaign to new heights. With the help of media buzz behind these bans their goal is to prompt people to question their own use of plastic straws and other single use disposable plastics so consumers make better choices that are environmentally friendly.
Dr. Truelove explains that a big driving factor behind the movement is the theory of "spillover." Truelove describes spillover as engaging in a certain type of behavior makes one more apt to engage is more or less similar behavior. So, if someone decides to forego single use plastic items, they are more likely to carry that behavior to other areas of their life this promoting a change in consumer habits towards a more sustainable lifestyle. While there is a possibility for "negative" spillover, when someone feels to good about something they have done they fail to continue the behavior, in regards to environmentalism, spillover tends to land more on the "positive" side where behavior is carried on. This spillover is what holds the potential to bring about larger and more significant change in society. For one, people influence other people, so while it may start in the home with family, a co-worker or peer may also become inspired to partake in similar behavior. Per The Plastic Pollution Coalition and their own theory of change, the more people whom start to partake in sustainable behavior, manufacturers are pressured to find alternatives to plastic in their business practices. A change in industry expectations prompts legislature to implement standards to ban plastic, ultimately preventing the production of plastic and its subsequent waste. Plastic pollution cannot simply be done away with if the production of the material is not targeted.
While there is not much that can be done about the plastic pollution that is already out there, prevention of further plastic pollution is the best and only solution to this problem. As inhabitants of this planet we must do our part to make sure that we are taking care of our resources, wildlife and each other by changing our rather wasteful habits. Too many are focused on the now, paying little mind the planet they are leaving for the generations to come. The time to change is now. It is our duty to teach youth and demand that as we whole, society normalizes sustainable living to ensure a bountiful tomorrow.
Works cited
Viswanathan, Radhika. "Why Starbucks, Disney, and Tom Brady Are All Shunning Plastic Straws." Vox. Vox, 27 July 2018. Web. 04 Oct. 2018.
Truelove, Heather Barnes, Amanda R. Carrico, Elke U. Weber, Kaitlin Toner Raimi, and Michael P. Vandenbergh. "Positive and Negative Spillover of Pro-environmental Behavior: An Integrative Review and Theoretical Framework." Global Environmental Change 29 (2014): 127-38. Web.
Margetts, Elise A., and Yoshihisa Kashima. "Spillover between Pro-environmental Behaviours: The Role of Resources and Perceived Similarity." Journal of Environmental Psychology 49 (2017): 30-42. Web.
Leonard, Annie. "Our Plastic Pollution Crisis Is Too Big for Recycling to Fix | Annie Leonard." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 09 June 2018. Web. 04 Oct. 2018.
D'Alessandro, Nicole. "22 Facts About Plastic Pollution (And 10 Things We Can Do About It)." EcoWatch. EcoWatch, 28 Sept. 2018. Web. 04 Oct. 2018.
Harth, Richard. "Perils of Plastics: Risks to Human Health and the Environment." Perils of Plastics: Risks to Human Health and the Environment | The Biodesign Institute | ASU. N.p., 2010. Web. 04 Oct. 2018.
N.a. "Why Is Plastic Harmful?" Plastic Pollution Coalition. N.p.
Calderwood, Imogen. "16 Times Countries and Cities Have Banned Single-Use Plastics." Global Citizen
Wilkins, Matt. "More Recycling Won't Solve Plastic Pollution." Scientific American Blog Network. N.p.
Parker, Laura. "A Whopping 91% of Plastic Isn't Recycled." National Geographic. National Geographic Society
Basu, Tanya. "This Kid Single-Handedly Ignited the Plastic Straw Ban Movement." The Daily Beast. The Daily Beast Company.
Cronin, Aisling Maria. "There Will Be More Plastic in the Oceans Than Fish by 2050 - Here's How You Can Help!" One Green Planet.
Seachrist, Darcie D., Kristen W. Bonk, Shuk-Mei Ho, Gail S. Prins, Ana M. Soto, and Ruth A. Keri. "Figure 2f From: Irimia R, Gottschling M (2016) Taxonomic Revision of Rochefortia Sw. (Ehretiaceae, Boraginales). Biodiversity Data Journal 4" Reproductive Toxicology
"How The Campaign To Ban Plastic Straws Got Its Start." Interview by Stacey Vanek Smith. NPR. N.p., 19 July 2018. Web. Sept. 2018.
The Final Straw
Across the U.S. and other countries around the globe, bans on plastic straws and other small plastics have gained momentum as well as a lot of attention. The call for plastic bans is nothing new and such bans have already been implemented by many local governments throughout the past several years. With that said, what makes more recent straw bans so polarizing and can they actually help to mitigate the plastic pollution problem? While the small straws are not the biggest culprit of plastic pollution in our oceans, the tiny drinking tool can spur important conversations about our use of the material and habits as consumers. So, while banning straws and other disposables may not save the oceans, it is this important questioning and self-reflection that holds the potential to spur large scale change to reduce plastic pollution.
Since the invention of plastic in the late 18th century, the use of the material has grown tremendously due to the convenience it provides. Plastic is cheap, lightweight and also ensures that products we purchase are not tampered with and safe for our use and consumption. While these are all great benefits of the invention of plastic, the amount at which we consume these products and subsequently discard of them have created a number of problems for our environment, wildlife and human health alike. For many, once a plastic bottle goes into the trash or recycling bin, it is out of sight out of mind, unfortunately, that bottle will never be fully done away with. Plastic is not biodegradable, and although it will eventually break down into tiny pieces of plastic called "micro-plastics" it will linger in our oceans, wildlife and eventually in our own bodies from our consumption of food and water.
Since plastic will eventually break down into these small "micro-plastic" particles that we cannot see with our naked eye, many are not able to grasp the scale of the plastic pollution problem. The reality is that plastic pollution has grown drastically over the years to the point that there are now large patches of garbage floating around the ocean. To put it into perspective, there is a large garbage patch twice the size of Texas that is floating around the Pacific knows as The Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch. Garbage patches are formed when tides and currents bring garbage that was disposed of in the ocean together so it clumps up, forming huge masses of trash. Not only are garbage patches huge area wise but most of the garbage is actually caught beneath the surface of the water and often stretches for miles deep into the ocean. Radhika Viswanathan, a science and health intern for VOX news, wrote an article describing the recent plastic straw bans in which she describes the severity of plastic pollution. According to Viswanathan, only 1% of garbage in these patches is on the surface, most is submerged beneath the water and will eventually end up on the ocean floors.
Despite the fact that we may never see a garbage patch for ourselves in the ocean, the threat of plastic pollution on wildlife and human health is not invisible. There are endless videos online that document animals in distress after being entangled in plastic waste, many animals unfortunately washed up on beaches with their stomachs full of garbage. The reality is that animals are dying every year at staggering rates due to plastic pollution and many species are now facing the threat of extinction. The EcoWatch website provides a list of plastic pollution facts that highlights the rate at which wildlife is perishing due to plastic pollution. An estimated one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die every year due to plastic pollution from entanglement or consumption. An article hosted online by One Green Planet found that 700 species of marine life are facing extinction threats due to interaction with plastic pollution as well as the prediction that there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans by the year 2050. This leaves marine life extremely vulnerable to premature death and extinction as their habitat becomes increasing littered with waste.
It is common knowledge that ingesting plastic is detrimental to both wildlife and human life. However, human health is affected differently. Because plastic will eventually break down into tiny micro plastics, it is found in the bodies of fish we consume as well as the water we drink. Micro plastics have even been found in fresh water lakes not just in the ocean. Arizona State University Institute Science writer, Richard Harth, described some of the perils that are linked to human exposure of micro plastics. As plastic breaks down, dangerous chemicals are released which eventually end up in our body. Bisphenol-A, or BPA, is the most known chemical that seeps out from plastic. BPA is a known carcinogen that is known to disrupt our hormones and exposure to them has been linked to prostate and mammary cancer specifically as well as birth defects. The threat increases with early exposure to these chemicals, including unborn children in utero by their mother's own exposure. Humans are exposed to these chemicals daily and unfortunately, the funneling of waste into the ocean and environment is too substantial that more must be done to prevent it.
While recycling is a practice that aids in the prevention of plastic pollution, it is simply not enough to curb waste output. Recycling is a practice that should be continued and taught to children to promote the adoption of sustainable habits, but more so the focus should be on preventing the production of waste. The reason being is that our output of waste far surpasses the rate of which we are recycling plastic. Jenna Parker, a writer for National Geographic whom specializes in marine wildlife and climate change, indicated in an article that a staggering 91% of plastic is not recycled. So, even if recycling increased worldwide, it will do nothing to the rate of which plastic is being produced and discarded of. This is where plastic bans come into play. Banning certain plastics in order to prevent waste entering the stream.
Recent bans on plastic straws are not likely to save the ocean from pollution despite their prevalent use. What plastic straw bans will do is create a conversation about habits as consumers and prompt us to take part in adopting a more sustainable lifestyle. Plastic bans have been around for several years, mostly in the form of plastic bag bans along coastal towns. There are also several countries whom have similar bans on plastic bags or whom tax plastic bags as incentive to use them less. Plastic straw bans have been able to reach millions of people in ways that bag bans have not. Such bans are also being pushed by celebrities and large companies whom vow to do their part to help clean up some of the plastic pollution plaguing our planet. Before plastic straw bans gained traction this year, a young man named Milo Cress convinced a local restaurant owner to offer straws as opposed to simply providing them to every customer. This all happened with Milo was just 9 years old and the local restaurant in Vermont was the first establishment in the country to really question our use of the tiny tool. Since then Dr. Heather Truelove, an associate professor of psychology, along with director of Lonely Whale Environmental Group, Dune Ives, have pushed to campaign to new heights. With the help of media buzz behind these bans their goal is to prompt people to question their own use of plastic straws and other single use disposable plastics so consumers make better choices that are environmentally friendly.
Dr. Truelove explains that a big driving factor behind the movement is the theory of "spillover." Truelove describes spillover as engaging in a certain type of behavior makes one more apt to engage is more or less similar behavior. So, if someone decides to forego single use plastic items, they are more likely to carry that behavior to other areas of their life this promoting a change in consumer habits towards a more sustainable lifestyle. While there is a possibility for "negative" spillover, when someone feels to good about something they have done they fail to continue the behavior, in regards to environmentalism, spillover tends to land more on the "positive" side where behavior is carried on. This spillover is what holds the potential to bring about larger and more significant change in society. For one, people influence other people, so while it may start in the home with family, a co-worker or peer may also become inspired to partake in similar behavior. Per The Plastic Pollution Coalition and their own theory of change, the more people whom start to partake in sustainable behavior, manufacturers are pressured to find alternatives to plastic in their business practices. A change in industry expectations prompts legislature to implement standards to ban plastic, ultimately preventing the production of plastic and its subsequent waste. Plastic pollution cannot simply be done away with if the production of the material is not targeted.
While there is not much that can be done about the plastic pollution that is already out there, prevention of further plastic pollution is the best and only solution to this problem. As inhabitants of this planet we must do our part to make sure that we are taking care of our resources, wildlife and each other by changing our rather wasteful habits. Too many are focused on the now, paying little mind the planet they are leaving for the generations to come. The time to change is now. It is our duty to teach youth and demand that as we whole, society normalizes sustainable living to ensure a bountiful tomorrow.
Works cited
Viswanathan, Radhika. "Why Starbucks, Disney, and Tom Brady Are All Shunning Plastic Straws." Vox. Vox, 27 July 2018. Web. 04 Oct. 2018.
Truelove, Heather Barnes, Amanda R. Carrico, Elke U. Weber, Kaitlin Toner Raimi, and Michael P. Vandenbergh. "Positive and Negative Spillover of Pro-environmental Behavior: An Integrative Review and Theoretical Framework." Global Environmental Change 29 (2014): 127-38. Web.
Margetts, Elise A., and Yoshihisa Kashima. "Spillover between Pro-environmental Behaviours: The Role of Resources and Perceived Similarity." Journal of Environmental Psychology 49 (2017): 30-42. Web.
Leonard, Annie. "Our Plastic Pollution Crisis Is Too Big for Recycling to Fix | Annie Leonard." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 09 June 2018. Web. 04 Oct. 2018.
D'Alessandro, Nicole. "22 Facts About Plastic Pollution (And 10 Things We Can Do About It)." EcoWatch. EcoWatch, 28 Sept. 2018. Web. 04 Oct. 2018.
Harth, Richard. "Perils of Plastics: Risks to Human Health and the Environment." Perils of Plastics: Risks to Human Health and the Environment | The Biodesign Institute | ASU. N.p., 2010. Web. 04 Oct. 2018.
N.a. "Why Is Plastic Harmful?" Plastic Pollution Coalition. N.p.
Calderwood, Imogen. "16 Times Countries and Cities Have Banned Single-Use Plastics." Global Citizen
Wilkins, Matt. "More Recycling Won't Solve Plastic Pollution." Scientific American Blog Network. N.p.
Parker, Laura. "A Whopping 91% of Plastic Isn't Recycled." National Geographic. National Geographic Society
Basu, Tanya. "This Kid Single-Handedly Ignited the Plastic Straw Ban Movement." The Daily Beast. The Daily Beast Company.
Cronin, Aisling Maria. "There Will Be More Plastic in the Oceans Than Fish by 2050 - Here's How You Can Help!" One Green Planet.
Seachrist, Darcie D., Kristen W. Bonk, Shuk-Mei Ho, Gail S. Prins, Ana M. Soto, and Ruth A. Keri. "Figure 2f From: Irimia R, Gottschling M (2016) Taxonomic Revision of Rochefortia Sw. (Ehretiaceae, Boraginales). Biodiversity Data Journal 4" Reproductive Toxicology
"How The Campaign To Ban Plastic Straws Got Its Start." Interview by Stacey Vanek Smith. NPR. N.p., 19 July 2018. Web. Sept. 2018.
