ELi5: How did plastic straws specifically become targeted for eco-friendly banning, but similar disposables like plastic forks and spoons didn’t?
In: Culture
There is a picture of a turtle with a straw stuck in its nose, that is the entire reason why and it is insane when we have so many bigger fish to fry. Plastic bags.. Plastic packaging for everything we buy……
People are missing the point in these comments:
Banning straws is like the near-ban of the 6-pack plastic rings (they didn’t get fully banned, but you’ve seen a ton of companies stop using them or using them less over the years). It’s about stopping the use of something that causes *direct harm* to sea life – not about the overall amount of plastic in the oceans.
Couple that with how endangered green sea turtles are, and when you have a product that is directly killing them, there is action that needs be taken.
It’s not about “an emotional reaction”, it’s about making sure a species doesn’t die out.
Things that came with straws are more commonly ordered than foods that require disposable utensils. The volume is considerably higher.
For example, most fast food you can eat with your hands, but you still get a straw with the drink. Iced coffees you can drink with a straw are more popular than ever. Most drinks at bars came with a straw that people would immediately throw away. Etc.
at a fast-food restaurant, when you bring your tray to the table, you’ll have a drinking straw almost 100% of the time but rarely have any cutlery.
How often do you use a straw in your life and how often do you use plastic forks and spoons in your life?
Almost every drink you get at a restaurant, or fast food, or a movie theater etc. has a straw.
The only time you use plastic silverware really is the occasional fast food meal that requires it or at a picnic or on a trip or moving.
and if you are using plastic silverware 100% of the time, you reeeally should take a long hard look at your life.
I sort of question the premise. Compostable utensils are becoming increasingly popular at most places. Perhaps straws have the slight edge for reasons people have described in this thread, but other plastic utensils are not far behind.
The real reason is that straws are largely unnecessary. You can make drinks and lids that can be drank from for any drink. However, some meals require utensils.
I knew of cutlery being targeted first. I was introduced to non-plastic biodegradable disposable tableware in the early 2000’s. This article on compostable cutlery (though not from ~2005 when I was actually introduced to those products) does predate the anti straw fad. http://www.biomasspackaging.com/how-compostable-utensils-are-made/
Single use plastics have been on the hit list for coming on decades (plural) now
Straws fit up a sea turtles nose the easiest. There was a turtle with a straw stuck in his nose and it went viral.
Plastic forks and spoons are generally recyclable.
Plastic straws are generally not recyclable.
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