Here's Why People Are Ditching Their Plastic Drinking Straws

Have you ever noticed how restaurants always give you a straw in your drink, whether or not you asked for one?

These small disposable tubes are a convenience that we have gotten used to over the years, but they have a great impact on the environment. It has been estimated that we use one straw every 4 minutes, and throw them away as soon as we’re done with them.

They’re not biodegradable, meaning that the earth’s micro organisms can’t recycle them naturally and they take 200 years to finally decompose.

Awareness was brought to this issue after marine biologists in Costa Rica filmed the suffering of a turtle as a plastic straw was being removed from it’s nose. Straws not only affect sea life, but also the birds that get their food from the ocean.

It has been estimated that 10 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year, and out of those 10 million, 100 thousand are disposable plastic straws. And if that wasn’t enough, it’s very hard to recycle straws. For you to have an idea, 500 thousand straws are used daily, in the USA alone.

The good news is that there are places in the world, such as Malibu, Seattle, Vancouver and even the United Kingdom that have banned the use of straws. Some businesses, such as Starbucks, have also promised to get rid of all plastic straws.

But it's not only the environment that suffers from use of straws. They can also have a negative impact on our health.

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Disclaimer: The materials and the information contained on Natural Cures channel are provided for general and educational purposes only and do not constitute any legal, medical or other professional advice on any subject matter. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new diet or treatment and with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider.

[echad]

I just bought a bunch of straws. There are more serious issues that the powers that be can tackle but they choose not to but instead people want to pour their energy into a straw ban.

[patriciatoth]

Is the rest of the world getting this memo?

[lynnohrel]

I save my straws. More liberal views pushed on everyone else. 😡

[michaeljacobs]

Honestly the straw ban doesn't really work. Some companies are willing to pay to keep there plastic straws in there restaurants. On top of that grocery stores and online websites still sell plastic straws so what does the straw ban actually good for? Just like the plastic bags tax in California people still don't bring the own reusable bags instead we just pay 10 cents a bag which for some of us it's not a big deal

[arlistyner]

Now if you could only secure the participation of Africa and Southeast Asia - where 95% of all the ocean's plastic pollution comes from - you might begin to make an actual dent in the problem. Even if your estimates regarding the United States use of straws were not based on the elementary school science paper of a 9 year old student (that's true) and had not been completely debunked and retracted already, banning the use of straws in this country addresses but the tiniest fraction of a fraction of the plastic in the ocean - the extent of which has also been wildly exaggerated by fearmongering ideologues. Stick to the natural cures please, and leave this 'sky is falling' crap out of it.

[MrsLowery]

If I buy soda I always cut the circles in the plastic because sea animals can get stuck in those too! 😰

[Jay-sodk]

You think straws are worse than the bombs from all Navy's around the world practicing in the ocean? The sonar from submarines? The militaries drills on the ocean? Lol

[tboykintb]

Ok U got me with the bloating & gas one.... 😮

[GBTWC]

So stop using straws it’s not our governments job to heap laws upon us. We don’t need a nanny state. Most of the people that support government regulations don’t do anything to help. It’s called self control and spreading awareness.

[salsaspartan]

Is there any cure for OCD? I really want to be cured of this, but I just can't find anything concretely successful. I am now looking into diet to help improve my condition, but it's still not a cure. This problem has since plagued my life and I feel like there may not be a cure for me. I have done so called "counseling" and it doesn't work. And I don't want to take a bunch of un-natural medicines from the pharmecutical companies.

[abigailquezada]

I've seen the sea turtle with the straw in its nose before and its heartbreaking

[dillirampoudel]

What i harm my nature in every 4 minutes. 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[ronnobleson]

Real men don't drink through straws, use makeup, wear earrings or go out in public walking in flip flops.

[timelesskoontah]

Not only straws ban all non biodegradable plastic on the whole...

[genevievelong]

I remember paper straws. Why can't we start making them again. They were not for hot drinks and if I remember correctly they had a very thin coating of wax later a plastic like coating then the whole thing was plastic. What about paper again? I won't drink from plastic serving glasses in a restaurant that are reused without a straw. The bendable ones are great for bed confined people. If I remember correctly there were paper bendable ones too.

[mspussygalore]

*Drinking alcholic beverages through straws can make you drunk faster too*