Plastic Straws Suck…But Not Always

If you’ve paid any attention to social media or the news recently, you’ve probably heard about the #StrawsSuck campaign. It gained traction from videos of marine life surrounded by the one-use plastic straws, many choking or getting caught on them. Unlike many other environmental movements, this one seems to be taking hold with the public. In fact, it’s grown so much that Starbucks is taking action to ban straws, and I imagine other companies will soon follow.

Is it a big win for the environment? Yes and no. It’s great that the public is getting behind an environmentally friendly movement – we need this kind of support if we want any hope of succeeding. However, straws are really the low-hanging fruit of the greater issue we face. This is an easier movement for people to get behind, because for most, there isn’t much sacrifice being made. Much, much more will need to be done if we want to save our planet.

Yet, we have a philosophy here at Ease to Green: no matter how big or small the effort, any attempt to protect the environment is important.  Perhaps the push to ban plastic straws will begin to open people’s eyes to the destructive societal mindset we’ve adopted: obsessing over the economy at the expense of our planet. Maybe this is the beginning of the end for careless use and disposal of non-recyclable materials.

So this campaign is great, then, right?

Not exactly.

If you’ve been following this movement, you may have seen several debates online about the pros and cons of a plastic straw ban. Most arguments against it are just silly when compared to the need to protect our planet, but there is one argument that we should all consider before we jump to banning straws altogether.

Plastic straws, specifically the bendable ones, are ideal for many in the disabled community. Some disabilities require the affected person to use a plastic straw – in some cases, not even a reusable one from metal or paper will do the job. Taking straws away entirely would present a serious health risk for these individuals. Independent living would be impossible without them.

The argument from the other side? “Why can’t someone with these disabilities just take around a reusable straw?” That’s a nice idea, but let’s take an honest look at society for a second.

Our world was not made for the handicapped or disabled. We live our lives centered around convenience, but only for those who fit the image we picture of a ‘typical’ person. Right or wrong, it’s what we’ve created. And it’s an inconvenience (and often more than that) for someone who doesn’t quite fall into that image.

Would we expect people to bring reusable straws with them everywhere they went if over half of Americans needed one to safely drink? No. I guarantee we would not.

If someone who truly needs plastic straws to drink goes out and forgets their straw, they’re out of luck. I don’t care if that person is dying in the heat for a drink or if they just want to go out for dinner with their friends – it would be unfair to expect them to purchase, remember, and carry around a straw so they can do what the rest of us take for granted. The rest of us don’t have to worry about it, so we don’t see it as an issue. We are accustomed to our convenient lives.

I’m not trying to say that the #StrawsSuck movement is wrong, because it’s not. I agree with the message and the intention. However, environmentalists are not truly succeeding if we are leaving certain people behind. Our goal is to create a better world for every living creature on the planet, and we have failed if we choose to ignore some and prioritize others. That is what got us here in the first place.

What’s the solution, then? I think it can be rather simple. Any business selling drinks should not give out a straw unless the customer specifically asks for it. They can have some straws on hand, but many customers will not require a straw, thus saving millions of straws from going into our landfills and oceans. Perhaps some people will choose the straw even if they don’t need it, but I imagine that whether it is to help the Earth or simply just out of convenience and efficiency, most people will forgo the straw and stick with whatever the alternative is.

Of course, I’m definitely open to other solutions as well that I may not have thought of. I’m no expert on the issue, and the community of people with a need for plastic straws would like present the best alternatives to the ban.

I’m thrilled that there is a spark of action from the public to save the Earth. It’s a small change when you look at the mountain we must overcome to save the planet and our future, but maybe, as a society, we are easing to green, too. I have to hope we are, for all of our sake.

What are your thoughts on the issue? Do you have a solution you think would resolve the issue? Let me know in the comments below!