Cat Cobb
As I’m sure many NC State students know, at the beginning of the school year, Talley Student Union stopped using plastic straws and switched to a paper alternative, which they have since stopped using. I know many students disliked these straws, as they could be awkward to use. However, past the surface level, the university’s fixation on plastic straws is troubling.
I’m not against paper straws. Any effort to reduce plastic use is wonderful, and I commend NC State’s efforts to reduce food-related waste. However, the university’s support of banning plastic straws is problematic because it encourages Band-Aid solutions to growing environmental threats.
The problem is that plastic straws aren’t the issue. In a study published by National Geographic in January, it’s estimated that disposable plastic straws only comprise 0.025 percent of all ocean pollution. This is a disproportionate amount of focus placed on a relatively small problem in the grand scope of environmental damage.
Individual pollution also isn’t the greatest threat to the environment. As an industrialized country, the vast majority of the United States’ pollution comes from manufacturing and factory sources. A study covered by The Guardian in 2017 indicated that the world’s largest 100 companies are responsible for approximately 71 percent of global air pollution. These companies also are responsible for massive quantities of industrial ocean and land pollution.
The straw ban is yet another example of the immense pressure placed on the individual to save the planet. We are frequently told to alter our personal habits rather than place emphasis on the largest sources of worldwide pollution. In order to effect real change, we need to place less emphasis on band-aid solutions like the straw ban and advocate for stricter regulations in these industries.
Many groups also seem to utilize shaming techniques to advocate change. What people seem to forget is that living sustainably is in itself a privilege. It takes financial privilege to live in ways that reduce environmental impact, since most sustainable products are more expensive, and shaming individuals for their lifestyle is problematic on many levels. Encouraging sustainable living and sharing information is beneficial to a point; however, when it crosses the line into blame, it is completely unacceptable.
A good solution moving forward is to gently encourage personal responsibility on the side to the extent that you are able, but consistently push for environmental accountability from corporations. The most benefit will come from activism and holding governments and companies responsible for their environmental impacts. A shift from a personal to industrial focus is necessary if we are to resolve the issues facing the environment.
NC State has already demonstrated the power that large organizations can have when they focus on waste reduction. According to the university’s waste reduction and recycling page, over half of the university’s waste is recycled, reused or composted, a feat that very few individuals would be able to afford on their own.
No amount of personal change will matter if we don’t focus on the bigger picture. If you have the means to do so, please consider eliminating straws and incorporating sustainable practices into your life. At the same time, let’s advocate for corporate change together because that’s how we can truly make the biggest difference.