According to a story from NPR, plastic straw bans have been gaining traction across the U.S. One of the most shocking examples of planetary degradation as the result of human activity is the buildup of plastic waste. Although much plastic can be recycled, there is little legitimate disagreement that plastic garbage, which does not biodegrade in any reasonable length of time, has been accumulating both on land and, perhaps more dramatically, in the ocean. There are now islands of plastic trash floating in the ocean that are the size of small countries. Great.
#StopSucking
An image of a plastic straw buried in the nose of sea turtle helped gain widespread attention to the issue, and the banning of plastic straws in places like Seattle has begun in earnest. Seeing a PR victory up for grabs, Starbucks has also announced that it will phase out plastic straws by 2020. The efficacy of these bans are up for debate; realistically, they at least may make some people feel better about the mass extinction that our species is perpetrating. Regardless, the plastic straw bans have more serious implications for disabled people who actually need them.
A Matter of Life and Death?
Many rare diseases and illnesses can cause people to have difficulty swallowing and moving the muscles of the jaw and face in order to drink without the aid of a straw. For example, Jordan Carlson’s son has motor-planning delays, and the no-straw policy at the zoo they were visiting forced them to leave so that he could get a drink. Jordan usually brings a reusable straw for him to use, but had simply forgotten one that day.
The reality is having access to plastic straws can be a life and death situation for people with rare diseases that affect their ability to drink. The reply that may come to mind for some people is to simply get straws of a different material.
Other Straw Materials
However, almost all other straw materials pose potential disadvantages for people with limited jaw and muscle control. Paper straws break apart too easily and can get damaged. Metal and silicone straws are inflexible, which can be a major problem for those with limited mobility. Metal straws can also be a safety risk, not to mention that reusable straws need to get washed from time to time, and do you really expect someone who cannot drink without a straw to be able to wash one on their own?
The ban limits the flexibility of people with rare diseases that can’t drink without a straw. If you get invited for drinks after work but left your reusable straw at home, you would be out of luck. In the future, programs to reduce the use of items like straws should take steps that account for the needs of people that are forced to rely on them.
