Why paper straws are more important than we think
[First published in YouthKiAwaaz as Trump Wants Plastic Straws Back. What He’s Really Saying Is Worse.]
Donald Trump tweeted last week that he is going to sign an executive order to end the “ridiculous push for paper straws that don’t work”. Let’s leave aside the fact one would presume that immediately after taking office, the President of the most powerful nation on earth might have more important things to worry about than rolling back the use of paper straws, and concentrate instead on the part of the statement where he says that paper straws don’t work.
Anybody who has lingered over a milkshake or a cold drink only to find that the paper straw has completely lost its shape will agree that paper straws don’t work. This is not a technology problem either, because any innovation that would make paper straws more durable, would most likely also make it less sustainable. R&D resources can certainly be put to better use than in trying to design a more durable paper straw.
While the world was shaken up about a decade back on seeing photographs of a sea turtle with a plastic straw lodged up its nostril leading to the demand to shift away from plastic straws, statistically speaking other sources like water bottles and food containers contribute much more to global plastic pollution than plastic straws.
Why then is the push for paper straws so important? It is important simply because of what it signifies. When an administration recommends the shift away from plastic straws, it indicates that the administration cares for the environment. The order reminds people to refuse straws whenever they can, and to invest in reusable straws if they can afford it.
Shifting to paper straws gives people the illusion that they are doing something concrete for the environment. It has been empirically proven that once you exercise your agency to do good, you are empowered to want to do more. Paper straws are not as important in themselves as they are in changing patterns of behaviour.
By forcing his country to go back to plastic straws again, Trump isn’t just contributing more plastic to the environment, he is sending out the message that plastic pollution is not something his fellow countrymen need to worry about. Given that the United States sends more plastic to landfills than any other nation, this messaging is certainly something we should be concerned about.
Reducing our personal use of plastic straws is not hard- all it requires is for us to specify that we do not need a straw when ordering any drink that comes in a glass and can be enjoyed even without a straw. While it would be nice if world leaders set a good example, we can each do our little bit, can’t we?
