Con: A different approach

ABDUL ALI Reporter @RoundupNews

When it comes to saving the environment, humans are doing all they can to clean up their trace of waste. A recent policy in California is aiming to battle the war on plastic, and the pressure to initiate the law is spreading to college communities.

The plastic straw law that has been adopted by California states full service restaurants are now banned from giving away plastic straws without the request of the customer.

For Pierce to implement this would mean more time wasted trying to figure out whether someone wants a straw or not.

According to nbcnews.com, the reported estimate of the amount of plastic spilling into the oceans is 8.8 million tons a year.

they make up only a tiny fraction of the plastic that ends up in the world’s oceans,” Rainey said.

According to the same article, an audit of waste collected by the environmental group Break Free From Plastic said the biggest brand contributors to plastic pollution were Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Nestle, who are the dominant producers of bottled drinks.

If Pierce were to adopt the straw law, there would be even more bottled drinks throughout campus and this would do even more harm to the ecosystem.

Not only is it problematic for the environment, but it poses issues for disabled people as well.

Investing in glass bottles as well as paper straws would be a better alternative to the traditional use of plastic straws. After all, there would be a much higher benefit to the environment if we used alternatives instead of adopting a policy that doesn't even eliminate the use of plastic straws and in some cases may end up doing more damage to the environment.

For example, Starbucks has announced that they will be replacing straws with strawless lids. The lids themselves are entirely made up from plastic and mimic the exact thing environmentalists are fighting. While Starbucks would argue that the lids are easier to collect for recycling, the rate of recycling in the United States is only 34.3 percent, leaving most plastic produced unrecycled.

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According to Center for Disability Rights, "For those whose disability or living situation makes this impractical, if not downright impossible, reusable straws are simply not an option. Additionally, metal, bamboo, glass and acrylic straws pose injury risks, especially for those with tremors, spastic episodes, and temperature sensitivity conditions. Paper and pasta straws also put individuals at risk of choking."

Photographers: Brandon SinclairVolkens

With this amount of plastic spilling occuring, Pierce should be focusing its efforts on other ways to reduce our use of plastic instead of incorporating a facade law that doesn't really have any impact at all.

James Rainey, a reporter for NBC News, wrote an article talking about how banning plastic straws would not be enough to clean the ocean.

According to strawlessocean. org, "If we don’t act now, by the year 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish." Looking towards the future, Pierce should spend its time or resources on a policy that will not benefit neither the environment nor the campus. It should use that time and money to adopt eco-friendly alternatives that will assist the planet in the long run. gwong.roundupnews@gmail.com

Instead of focusing its effort on a ineffective initiative, Pierce should do more in promoting recycling and reducing the amount of bottled drinks that use plastic.

“Even if straws can be corralled,

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Chung Sonia Gurrola is presented only in the editorials. Cartoons and photos, unless run under the editorial masthead, and columns are the opinions of the creators and not necessarily that of the Roundup. The college newspaper is published as a learning experience aali.roundupnews@gmail.com under the college journalism instructional program. The editorial and advertising materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, are the responsibility of the student newspaper staff. Under appropriate state and federal court decisions, these materials are free from prior restraint by the virtue of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the L.A. Community College District, the college or any officer or employee thereof.