I know that there is a great deal of misery in the world today. Toronto is still reeling from the horrific attack that murdered ten and grotesquely injured fourteen others last week. Our collective recovery will surely take time. There are horrors every single day coming out of Syria. There is an Orange Menace in the White House and there is a strange and most probably ugly election campaign coming to saturate Ontario airwaves this spring.
And yet.....
I want to discuss what seems to be the overriding issue that is on most everybody's mind these days. That being the rush to ban plastic straws from our communities. I cannot open up any of my social media or any news report lately, without somebody preaching about the evils of the dreaded suckers. (See what I did there?) It seems to have taken on a life of its own online, with viral stories about choking turtles or waste washing up on a beach somewhere, coming forth on a daily basis.
And it is a real issue. I won't pretend that it isn't. The problem of unwanted and discarded plastics into our oceans, landfills, and public spaces is an epidemic problem plaguing the entire world. Scientists estimate that we as a global society have produced approximately 8.3 billion tonnes of plastics since the 1950s and about 6.3 billion tonnes of that has already become waste. According to the Ocean Conservancy,
More than 330,000 pieces of plastic and foam waste were picked off 2,800 kilometres of Canada's shoreline by volunteers during beach cleanup events last year, including 17,654 straws — the ninth most common item found during cleanups supported by Ocean Wise and WWF-Canada. Worldwide, 409,087 straws and stirrers were picked up in beach cleanups around the world in 2017.
Single-use plastic straws make up about 4% of discarded plastics in total. It seems like it should be an easy win. Put pressure on governments and fast-food chains to ban the insidious little things that, according to activists, nobody really needs anyway. It seems perfect, except the whole premise is fundamentally flawed.
Now, anybody who knows me or reads this space with any regularity understands the commitment I have to green initiatives. I am a conscientious vegetarian with a left-leaning propensity to vegan. I have found a way to grow my own herbs in a hydroponic method in our condo. We shop the farmer's markets and use locally sourced whenever possible. I rarely use plastic shopping bags, preferring bins or cloth bags, and we have recently made the switch to mesh produce bags for our market purchases. The Husband drives a completely electric car and both of us try to use public transit or walk to our destinations on a regular basis. We are far from perfect in our greening attempts and there are many things we could and should do better but this online lecture many of my friends are delivering about the evils of plastic straw use has me riled up for one very good reason. There is a dear person in my life who depends on these items as her literal lifeline.
I am not exaggerating the issue here. Without a plastic straw (not a metal or paper one) she could not take in liquids. And, she isn't alone. There are many people who live with challenges that require the use of a plastic straw. Many stroke patients cannot adequately drink from a cup. A paper straw disintegrates when it comes in constant contact with saliva. A metal straw doesn't adequately bend to the necessary and personalized degrees needed for intake. Reuseable straws need to be properly cleaned and sanitized, something that people with fine motor issues cannot adequately do. Plastic straws have given many in our communities an independence and dignity to drink in public without spilling or spitting. A total ban would be telling these individuals that they shouldn't be afforded that privilege. Forcing them to request one at an eating establishment is an embarrassment for many and greatly reduces their dignity.
I wonder how many out there, those who are advocating with these silly memes and Facebook campaigns, are taking other conclusive measures to reduce their own environmental footprints. Did they drive to the establishments at which they are refusing the straw? Did they order a burger? Did they drink fair-trade coffee or eat fair-trade chocolate? Often times, we tend to go for the easy wins when a solution that is far more thoughtful or considered is really all that is necessary. Educating the public on the issue of the overabundance of plastic in our environment is essential and advocating for the reduction of single-use plastic straws is really a good thing, but allowing each person to make a thoughtful and informed choice is imperative. I am all for a reduction in plastics in all its forms and I do try to be conscious of what I am using on a daily basis. I honestly don't use straws all that often and I am more than willing to forgo the plastic kind and purchase a reuseable device for myself to use during my once a month Starbucks visits because I am able. But a ban for everybody? No. That is a bridge too far that further alienates many who rely on them.
A little thoughtfulness goes a long way. Let's all try and be a bit more respectful of those who have different needs.
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