The banning of plastic straws is one of the hottest topics of 2018, due to the shocking negative impact they have on the world’s oceans and marine life.
According to National Geographic, straws make up only a small portion of the 8 million tons of plastic waste that makes its way into the ocean every year. However, small and lightweight straws usually don’t make their way into recycling bins and quickly break down into small plastic particles known as microplastics.
The size of straws makes them one of the worst polluters; they entangle marine animals such as turtles and are consumed by fish and seabirds.
The call to ban plastic straws (and other plastic products) is heard and answered across the globe. In the Middle East, several hotels and restaurants in the UAE removed plastic straws, Oman’s Shangri-La resorts and spas have implemented a property-wide ban on plastic straws, while Roadster Diner restaurants in Lebanon only provides straws when customers expressly ask for them.
Not only are plastic straws bad for the environment, they can be bad for you as well.
Here are some of the reasons why the use of plastic straws can be bad for your body:
Tooth decay
If you use a straw to drink acidic or sugary drinks, a concentrated stream of the liquid you’re drinking hits a small area of your teeth and can increase the likelihood of enamel erosion and tooth decay.
Gas and bloating
Sipping directly from a plastic straw introduces air into the digestive tract. This can cause discomfort, such as excessive gas and bloating.
Ingestion of harmful chemicals
Plastic straws are commonly made of polypropylene. Evidence suggests that chemicals from polypropylene can leach into liquids and may release compounds that could interfere with your estrogen levels. Exposure to UV light, heat or acidic beverages increases the chance of such leaching.
Wrinkles
The repeated motion of puckering your lips around a straw creates wrinkles around your mouth in the same way as smoking does.
Here are 4 eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic straws:
Bamboo straws: lightweight, sustainable, reusable, and biodegradable
Paper straws: biodegradable and compostable single-use straws
Steel straws: durable and easy to clean
Water bottle or reusable cup with straw: carrying around with you your personal bottle or cup avoids using plastic bottles and straws, this saves the environment in the long run.
Make a small change today by saying “no” to plastic straws, it’s to the benefit of the environment as well as your body. Hopefully this will be the first of many small changes which eventually will have a large impact.
