As if plastic straws weren't already bad enough for the planet, one Reddit user shared a photo of a plastic-wrapped pack of straws individually wrapped in — you guessed it — even more plastic, sparking a debate about their environmental impact.
What's happening?
The Redditor posted the photo to the appropriately named r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit, which shows a pack of 50 flexible plastic party straws separately packaged in plastic.
Some users wondered why they bought the straws if they were trying to avoid excessive plastic. However, in a later comment, the poster revealed that their family had purchased the straws years ago and had kept them in storage.
One eco-conscious commenter shared their experience with baffling packaging choices, writing, "Once bought four glass straws. The amount of plastic it was wrapped in would be enough to choke a blue whale."
"How much plastic wrapped plastic straws can a plastic bag hold if a plastic bag can hold plastic straws wrapped in plastic?" another joked.
"S*** you should see our restaurant," another commented.
While the straws were manufactured years ago, it's a reminder that wasteful business practices can still impact the environment far into the future.
Why does plastic waste matter?
Since plastic is cheap and fairly easy to produce, humans have gotten addicted to its convenience, but unfortunately, it's had far-reaching environmental impacts. According to a report by the nonprofit EarthAction, over 240 million tons of plastic will be produced this year, an estimated 70 million tons of which will wind up in nature.
Some reports state that up to 50% of the material is used for disposable items such as shopping bags and water bottles, per Plastic Oceans. Sadly, many of these single-use plastics end their life cycle in the world's oceans and waterways, where marine animals can choke or become entangled in them.
In addition, plastics break down into smaller pieces called microplastics and nanoplastics, which have been found to negatively affect human reproductive, neurological, developmental, and immune health.
Are companies doing anything about this?
Luckily, times have changed since these individually wrapped straws were created, and while there are still individually wrapped straws for sale that can make some sense for commercial use, many companies are realizing the importance of making products that are good for people and the planet.
A bottled water distributor recently unveiled recyclable caps, which will ensure more plastics make their way to recycling centers and stay out of landfills. In addition, Kraft is eliminating nearly 1 million pounds of plastic waste each year by removing the classic Shake 'N Bake "shaker" bag from product packaging.
Some companies are making edible straws and cutlery so consumers can enjoy takeout sustainably and feel good about doing their part to help the planet.
What's being done about plastic waste more broadly?
In addition to more companies reducing their plastic use, scientists are making headway in finding alternatives to the polluting material. From developing a method to turn plastic waste into fuel and even potentially food, scientists are showing that a plastic-free future is within our reach.
As consumers, we also have the power to effect change by making simple lifestyle changes, such as ditching single-use plastic products and buying reusable options. By supporting brands that use plastic-free packaging and avoiding those that do not, we can incentivize companies to continue to make less wasteful and polluting decisions.
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