10 ms·
These things are not mutually exclusive. You can (and should) both do your best to consume as ethically as possible, and advocate, vote, etc. for action. I find
by the_gastropod 7y ago
These things are not mutually exclusive. You can (and should) both do your best to consume as ethically as possible, and advocate, vote, etc. for action. I find it troubling how readily so many of us are to change nothing about our behavior and point the finger at some scapegoat. The unfortunate reality is:
- the more money we spend on <thing> the more <thing>’s manufacturer has to lobby for its continued existence
- the more we standardize that product as “normal” we make regulating it less politically viable (see blowback re: plastic straws)
- galangalalgol 7y agoPaper straws are horrible! They get soggy so quickly! Also paper bags cause more harm than plastic, and it wouldn't surprise me if the same were true of straws. At home i use stainless straws but when I'm out I refuse paper straws. Why can't someone make a recyclable straw?
- edflsafoiewq 7y agoWhat do people use straws for in the first place? Just drink out of the cup.
- galangalalgol 7y agoYeah I agree. I mostly get a straw for ice tea, which comes in styrofoam... Styrofoam is unfortunate. It is super easy to recycle, but too inefficient to transport. I've been trying to come up with a solar powered Styrofoam recycler that stores up blocks of solid polystyrene for pickup. The hard part is knowing people will put other things in to mess it up. Otherwise a tank of gasoline to dissolve it with a closed evaporation loop is all you would need.
- hombre_fatal 7y agoMost common reason to use a straw is when drinking from a vessel that's full of ice. It's funny how luxurious a simple ice-filled straw-included one-time-use styrofoam cup of Coke from the McDonald's drive-thru is, really, and how much we take it for granted.
- NeedMoreTea 7y agoRecyclable is worse than reusable, both are worse than reducing use in the first place. Best option is giving a drink in a mug or cup. Customer can provide a takeaway container or bring their own mug. All behaviour needs to be adjusted -- individual, and corporate via regulation. This whole expectation of disposability is the problem in the first place. > paper bags cause more harm than plastic Citation needed. As I understand it, they can be more harmful if unsustainable methods of production are used. Unbleached paper from sustainable forestry should be less harmful. It may not be cheaper. Cheapest should not be the only aim. c.f. regulation.
- galangalalgol 7y agoI would say cheapest should be one aim, but that we should try to include all the costs.