Ateneo de Naga University

Ateneo Ave., Bagumbayan Sur

City of Naga, 4400

ALTERNATIVE STRAWS FOR THE

SUSTAINABILITY OF LIFE

RESEARCHERS:
Erica L. Acuña
Maria Klaryce B. Aguirre
Criscel Anne V. Bogñalos
Ederlyn Y. Forte
Crispin John B. Sadia

SUBMITTED TO:
Cynthia Correo

2019
 INTRODUCTION

Plastics have become part of mankind's daily lives. It has helped mankind in
many ways for many years now, making daily lives more convenient to live in just like in
buying groceries, people use plastic bags in order to carry the goods that have been
bought from the supermarket or any form of market that sells goods. Plastics are
cheaper, requires less energy to be produced, and is easier to create rather than other
materials such as glass or metal and it also can be manufactured with many different
properties. Plastics are not just useful for the daily needs of people, plastics are also
used in the medical field where due to its polymeric characteristics it is used as
disposable syringes, intravenous bags, sterile packaging, tissue engineering and many
more. People also use plastic containers to store food and other items such as clothes,
supplies, and etc. People also use plastic to eat with conveniency such as spoons,
forks, plates, and cups if they don't want to wash reusable utensils. The use of plastic
utensils can be disposed easily, which makes it convenient for humans to get rid of it.
They even use plastic straws for drinks which makes it easier to drink. No spills and
messy drips of slushy drinks, sodas, and other beverages. The use of plastic straws
makes the use of cups convenient as well. It is easier to manage since you hold the
cups in certain fixed height and level where you no longer have to pour the drink in your
mouth, simply, you just sip it. The use of this cylindrical device dated centuries ago
were Sumerians were the first civilization known to use cylindrical tubes to bring liquid to
their lips.

The usage of plastic straws have been a symbol of the world unnecessary
dependance on plastic. Also it became a symbol for plastics horrifying effects in our
environment. It has its own disadvantages and harmful effects that it brings to the
environment, humans, and animals. A single plastic straw may be small to the eyes but
imagine a single straw for every individual, there's a lot that people don't take into
consideration. The gradual increase of plastic waste in our planet makes our planet lose
its life, the marine life for example. 8.3 billion straws pollute the worlds beaches and 8
million tons of plastic flow on our ocean and .025% of those are plastic straws which are
about billions of pieces of plastic straws. It may seem that humanity is not affected by
this phenomenon but you thought wrong. Plastic straws are devastating not just
because of its property and material but because of its life span. Its lifespan is longer
than the lifespan of humanity. It is said to last 200 years to decompose. Everything that
happens in the environment has a great impact on the humans. Humans are the cause
of the distraction of the environment that they are living in and sooner or later the effects
of these actions will reflect back to the humans. Though some of the plastic straws are
recycled, the process releases toxins in the air that we breathe and into the
environment. According to Rachelle Adelante, author of ​Plastic Straws: A Single Use
that Lasts a Lifetime, “Most plastics contain polypropylene and BPA, or commonly
known as Bisphenol A, that can contaminate the liquids we drink. Obesity and cancer
are few of the health hazards presumed to be caused by plastic use”. It was stated in an
article reviewed by an MD that “Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a chemical found in many hard
plastics that we use everyday. Higher doses have been linked to infertility and other
health problems”. This chemical is usually found on plastic bottles that we usually use
for drinking water making individuals prone to this chemical.

BODY

According to Sarah Gibbens (2019), ​In just the U.S. alone, one estimate
suggests ​500 million straws are used every single day​. ​One study published earlier this
year estimated as many as 8.3 billion plastic straws pollute the world's beaches. But
that enormous number of plastic straws seems small when you look at all the plastics
that have been thrown in all countries.

Plastic straws might appear to be harmless because of their sizes, but these
plastic straws are one of the worst culprits in ecological damage. ​First one, it piles up
the environment. Plastic are less likely to decompose and 300 million tons of plastic
are being discarded each year globally and 80 million of those are being dumped in the
ocean. ​Second one, it spoils our groundwater. Plastics also threaten our wildlife​.
Because of humans’ undisciplined actions, garbage is being thrown at the oceans
causing marine animals’ life to be at stake. These sea creatures often mistake these
trash as food, so they tend to intake it causing them to block their digestive systems.
One of the innocent victims of plastics are sea turtles, studies from 2013 stated that
50% of the sea turtles died because of plastic ingestion. Aside from the turtles, over 260
species of all kinds have been reported to ingest or become entangled with plastic
causing their death or their injuries that will most likely to lessen their life span. In
relation to the threat in wildlife, plastics also poisons our food chain​. Huge
number of species have been mistakenly ingesting plastics as a source of food and that
also means that the food chain will be affected very much and there will come a time,
that humans will have nothing to eat because everything is affected by plastic pollution.
Next, plastic greatly affects human health too​. Since plastics contain toxic
chemicals, our exposure to plastics can link us to cancers, birth defects, impaired
immunity, and other ailments. ​Lasty, plastic costs billions to abate​. Plastics make
everything suffer, not only the health of animals but also humans too. The damage that
was caused and being caused by plastic is not estimable.

The use of plastic straws must be lessened or possibly be stopped due to its
harmful threats and damage that it inflicts on the environment, harm to animals,
especially marine life, and humans. Plastic is made from oil (a non-renewable fossil
fuel). Inorder to make our living better, we must change the way how we live our lives. If
the actions of humankind bring harm to everyone and everything around them, then it is
best for them to think of the consequences of their actions in order to change what is
happening around them. Though this problem may be unimaginable to handle, there are
still ways to handle problems despite its severity. For this problem, a global solution is
required and the participation of everyone. Plastic straws can't be easily recycled
“Plastic straws and other items smaller than two by two inches, such as plastic utensils,
fall through the machinery that sorts our recycling,” says Jonathan Kuhl of the D.C.
Department of Public Works. This is also one of the main reasons why plastic straws
end up in the ocean. They are too small and can be easily blown by the wind or washed
up by the rain ending up in sewers then into the bodies of water.

Despite of the bad effects of plastic straws there are still reasons why they are
useful, one reason is that, using plastic straws is more hygienic in restaurants. It is
hygienic because the cups or glasses that a person uses is being used by many people,
using a straw, it lessens an individuals’ contact on the glassware. Thus, the use of
straws is not only beneficial in terms of hygiene, it is also beneficial when it comes to
protecting an individuals’ teeth. Using straws prevents the teeth to swim from coffee or
juice, it means that it prevents them from being soaked in coffee or juice for a long
period of time. The liquid wont pass directly on the teeth but over it through the help of
the straw. The teeth being soaked for long with coffee or juice removes the enamel of
the teeth. Enamel is a tissue, the strongest, that covers a thin layer on the outermost
layer of the teeth. Enamel helps protect your teeth from daily use such as chewing,
biting, crunching, and grinding. Enamel also insulates the teeth from potentially painful
temperatures and chemicals. Studies also say that with the use of straws, it helps
reduce the risk of having tooth decay or tooth cavities. Although enamel is a hard
protector of teeth, it can chip and crack.

During a yearly Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup one of the

top 10 found items during the cleanup are plastic straws. Plastics are known to be
non-biodegradable, instead of decomposing, the material breakdown into smaller pieces
called microplastics, which makes it harder to be filtered out or be cleaned from the
ocean. There is also a tendency that the humans would end up eating these
microplastics. Fish eats this microplastics which ends up in the food table of households
ready to be eaten.
 In the Philippines, there are already ordinances and bills that supports the idea of
banning the use of plastic straws. An article of Merlinda Pedrosa (2018) from
sunstar.com states that, Bacolod City Council has already approved on a proposed
ordinance prohibiting the distribution of plastic straws in the city. The said ordinance
was authored by Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. He said there are
environmentally-friendly straws that can be used as an alternative to plastic straws such
as made of paper, plant, vegetable and other natural products.

“The continuous use of plastic straws to sip in any kind of soda when
irresponsibly dispose of, pose several hazards especially to health and to the
environment,” Councillor Wilson Gamboa Jr. once said. Gamboa noted that the
ordinance aims to eliminate the distribution of plastic straws will curb the amount of
trash found in the city. Gamboa said the use of eco-friendly materials such as paper,
plant, vegetable, among others can save our marine resources severely affected by
plastic waste, and the plastic straws contain materials that cannot easily be
decomposed and thus brought environmental pollution.

Section 6 of the proposed ordinance stated that vending or selling, delivering or

deploying and giving or distributing for any purpose of plastic straws, whether or not to
be used for any kind of beverage is prohibited. Section 7 of the proposed ordinance
stated that subject to existing laws, rules, and regulations, any plastics straws found in
violation of this Ordinance shall be confiscated and be deposed of in accordance to
Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.​”

In an article news from ABS-CBN written by Micaella Ilao, she addressed that
Baguio City has banned the use of plastic bags in stores, groceries, and other
establishments, as these are supposedly among the city’s main source of garbage. To
lessen the amount of plastics being disposed of by locals, the Baguio city council
approved on final reading ordinance number 35, series of 2017, or the “Plastic and
Styrofoam-Free Baguio Ordinance” on April 24. Stated in the ordinance are regulations
banning the use of plastic bags polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene foam
container or “Styrofoam”, in stores, groceries, supermarkets and other establishments.

The simplest change to make is to stop using plastic straws, but cutting straws
from your life entirely is quite difficult. ​To reduce the usage of plastic straws, reusable
straws have been invented to slow down the vast increasing usage and improper
disposal of plastic straws Reusable straws offer a great alternative by transforming a
single-use product into a completely sustainable one. ​There are alternative plastic
straws, such as metal straws, glass straws, bamboo straws, paper straws, and edible
straws. ​These reusable straws make a great eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastic
straws in that they can be washed and reused over and over again, and are fully
recyclable once they've been used for years. Hence, ​the alternative straws are created
as a substitute to plastic straws that would help minimize the amount of plastic straws
that are being used.

METAL STRAWS

Metal straws has been the most common alternative for plastic straws. These
metal straws are made from stainless steel. In the market, we have two kinds of
available metal straws. One is 304 stainless steel straw, this is the most common
stainless steel that is safe and affordable option to drink of. It is the most basic durable
material that contains high amount of nickel and chromium which makes it excellent in
resisting oxidation and corrosion. The other one is 316 stainless steel straw. This is
actually similar to 304 stainless steel straw, however, this has a significant amount of
molybdenum which results in increased corrosion resistance. This might be pricier yet it
is safer to use.
 Metal straws that are made out of stainless steel are rust-proof. It can be used for
a longer period of time. This can be the most effective alternative because it will not
break unlike the glass straws. It is also easy to clean, you can just rinse it after using. It
also comes with a cleaning brush when you buy them.

According to triviaholic.com,​ stainless steel straws are reusable and can last for
years if you clean them properly. It is easy to clean the metal straw because it comes
with a cleaning brush when you purchase them. In addition, stainless steel does not
leach chemicals and does not interact with the product you are consuming. It is evident
that it is safer and more sustainable to use these metal straws instead of patronizing
plastic straws which can only be used once.

GLASS STRAWS

Glass straws are very rare to find as an alternative for plastic straws. Because
glass straws are quite expensive and they cost more than the other alternative ones.
According to David Carrig (2018), ​Glass is another material that can be used to make a
reusable and durable alternative to the plastic straw. One advantage to a glass straw is
that you can see through it to make sure it’s clean. Since they're transparent, it's easy
for the user to see how clean it is on the inside. Like metal straws, they're also
dishwasher safe. We cannot deny the fact that it is visually appealing. Their clear color
sets them apart from any other plastic straw alternatives and are a match to any
drinking vessel one may be using. Glass straws are heat conduction which makes it
ideal for both hot and cold drinks.And lastly, they are eco-friendly. Even though their
eco-friendliness can't be compared to that of metal straws, glass straws are a much
better option than plastic straws. This is because they can be cleaned and reused many
times. But the only thing is that these straws has potential risk of breakage​.
 This environment-friendly glass straws are absolutely harmless to human health
as well as to the environment. The fact that they are very hygienic because of their
transparent look and extremely smooth surface.

BAMBOO STRAWS

Bamboo can be used in many ways. Nowadays, there are products that are
made with bamboo such as kitchenwares, toothbrush and straws. According to Alex
Erdekian (2018), in her article ​Every Type of Straws​, ​Bamboo straws are reusable,
extremely durable, fully natural, and are way less pricey than metal straws/necklaces.
They're made from a highly sustainable and naturally occurring plant. And they don’t
bend.

Based from ​junglestraws.com,​ Bamboo can actually grow to full maturity

between 3-5 years and grows in abundance, mainly in warm and tropical climates of
Asia. It represents strength and versatility and is used for a variety of things, not just for
drinking straws​. It’s stronger than steel and is fully biodegradable, and the most
important thing; it won’t contribute to the heartbreaking damage that single-use plastic is
causing to oceans, rivers and wildlife habitats all around the world.

Bamboo straws can be used time and time again and look great in any drink.
Because bamboo is a natural material, they of course won’t last as long as a metal
straw, but they cost a fraction of the price and can be used for many other things after
they’ve finished their life as a straw; think plant stands and props for the kids school
craft projects! You can reuse bamboo straws hundreds of times over, so if we do the
math, they can be far more economical than nasty plastic alternatives that are designed
to be used once, and then instantly disposed of.
 Bamboo is completely natural and our straws grow without the need for any
harmful pesticides or chemicals. The bamboo is steam cleaned and pressure washed
and unlike metal straws, do not conduct the heat from hot drinks which may burn your
mouth. Bamboo is also great for keeping the drink at the temperature in which it was
poured at, meaning iced smoothies and milkshakes won’t give you brain freeze!

Since bamboo is safe, it is a natural alternative that doesn’t endanger marine life
or pollute the environment because it is biodegradable. These bamboo straws are not
that expensive compared to the other reusable straws. It has a very sustainable material
since bamboo is one of the Earth’s fastest growing plants.

PAPER STRAWS

Some places in the world had been forbidding a single-use plastic straws,
causing some of the companies or restaurants to utilize paper straws. ​Paper straws are
most widely known replacement for single-use plastic straws. You’ll often find them at
coffee shops and restaurants which is more environmentally-friendly option.

According to Amy Koonin (2018), in her article Are Paper Straws Really Better for
​ he stated 5 benefits of using paper straws over plastic straws.
the Environment?, S
Paper straws are biodegradable. ​Plastic straws ​are most likely to end up in landfills or
the ocean, where they can take years to decompose.Unlike paper straws which are fully
biodegradable and compostable. If they do end up in the ocean, they’ll start to break
down within just three days. ​Paper straws take less amount of time to decompose.
Plastic straws can take hundreds of years to fully decompose Unlike plastic, paper
straws will decompose back into the earth within 2-6 weeks.​Switching to paper straws
will reduce the use of plastic straws. ​Each day people use millions of straws.
Choosing paper over plastic will greatly reduce the number of usage of plastic straws.
They’re affordable. Paper straws are still incredibly cheap unlike other reusable and/or
alternative straws. ​Paper straws are safer for wildlife. ​Paper straws are marine
life-friendly. According to a study from 5 Gyres​, they’ll break down in 6 months, meaning
they’re safer for wildlife than plastic straws.

According to Sarah Gibbens (2019), in a magazine from National Geographic,

Paper drinking straws, which date from the late 1800s, often absorb liquid over time,
become mushy, and can leave a taste or fibers in drinks. They’re the most popular
throwaway option in places with plastic-straw bans. Despite of being soggy and melt in
drinks at the end making them unusable and make your drink taste unusual, paper
straws are cheap and made from renewable resources. ​Plastic straws aren’t recyclable-
and won’t break down in landfill but paper straws are biodegradable. With this, paper
straws are truly better for the environment

EDIBLE STRAWS

There are lots of alternative and/or reusable straws nowadays. But edible straw
is one of the most recent and familiar type of alternative for plastic straws. Based from
the ​vietdelta.com​, Edible straws are eco-friendly and are not made from environmentally
hazardous chemicals. They are basically formed or made from sea-weed and doesn’t
contain chemicals in its formation or have harmful or any side effects. These straws are
compostable and biodegradable. They dissolve in the environment quickly as compared
to any other material. In 60 days or less, an edible straw is completely degraded just like
any other banana peel. Once used, you can even throw them up in your plants or
garden and they will act as a powerful fertilizer.

This straw can be eaten after finishing your drink as they come in different
flavors. They will not affect the taste of your original drink and can remain there as it is
for 24 hours.You can store edible straws for 2 years. However, If you don't want to eat
them, simply dump them in the dustbin and they will degrade themselves. They are
marine-friendly and hence not toxic to marine life. Even if they engulf them, there is no
side effect of these straws.

An increasing number of manufacturers and companies nowadays are in the

process of making and checking out this edible straws. They believe that this edible
straws are much affordable and has many advantages unlike any plastic straws. These
straw could possibly a solution to the increasing number of plastic straw problems.

It is evident that these alternative straws are a great help for a more sustainable
environment. These straws are eco-friendly and does not support the single use plastic.
However, it might be hard for people to support this campaign of using alternative
straws instead of plastic straws most probably because it is expensive. Whenever we
go to restaurants, cafes or fast food chains, our drinks are served with straws on it
already. Considering that these plastic straws given in restaurants are free, people
would think that switching to the alternative straws would cost them a lot. In addition, it
is not convenient on the customer’s part to carry their reusable straws whenever they go
out. It might be hassle on their part. Aside from that, these reusable straws are not
accessible in the market. If we want people to switch to using these straws, we should
introduce it more to the people and it should be available anywhere. These alternative
straws could have been offered in cafes or bubble tea shops. Also, these plastic straws
are a great help for those who are disabled. There are individuals with mobility and
strength issues, they cannot lift the cup high enough and they need bendable straws to
prevent the water from spilling. Additionally, metal, bamboo and glass straws pose
injury risks especially to those with tremors, spastic episodes and temperature
sensitivity. Indeed, these alternative straws help sustain the environment but we can’t
totally ban the use of plastic straws because some persons with disability depend on
them.
 CONCLUSION

It’s encouraging that local governments are focusing on passing laws to fight
plastic litter​. ​Supporters of plastic straw bans claim that the ban will help reduce our use
of single-use plastic and as a result, the ban will reduce the number or plastic straw
polluting the ocean. ​There might be tons of laws, ordinance or bills on banning plastics
to help save the environment but just banning of plastic straws will not help solve our
plastic problem. All we need is to have a wide array of disciplined people.

Overall, the main reason for a plastic straw ban is to help the environment by
preventing plastic straw pollution. But really? In just banning of plastic straw you could
save the environment, especially the ocean. Yes, maybe a plastic straw ban is unlikely
to have a large impact on the environment. But without proper education, few people
would know the purpose of the ban and they would continue using single-use plastic
straws. Increase awareness about the negative effects of plastic straw would help the
environment a lot more. Another best ways to reduce the improper disposal of plastic
straws is through discipline. People won't carelessly throw their garbage anywhere if
they instill discipline in themselves and possess proper knowledge regarding the actions
they do and the corresponding consequences for their actions. If people would instill
discipline, the improper disposal of plastic straws and even garbage would highly
increase the effectivity of the campaigns regarding the reduction of the usage and
disposal of plastic straws. Ofcourse, the citizens aren't just the ones who should instill
this characteristic, but also the government. The government has a major role in
protecting the environment, because if the government protect the environment they
also protect their citizens. Whatever may happen in the environment no matter how big
or small it would just lead back to the ones who caused harm to it. The government also
has an important role when it comes to educating their citizens. It is the obligation of the
government to suffice sufficient knowledge that their citizens would instill onto them on
the long run that it may hopingly reach the future generations.
There are definitely differing opinions on whether or not plastic straws should be
banned. However, we do believe that we should limit our use of plastic straws in any
simple way for example, asking business to only give out straws upon request. We as
individuals should also try to give up plastic straws if we are capable of doing so. A
plastic straw ban could be a good step in the right direction. Getting rid of a single
plastic straw may have a very large effect on helping prevent pollution in the
environment.
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