An illustrated guide to plastic straws (2021) • Hacker News Board

Re: An illustrated guide to plastic straws (2021)

#31

Post by janj » Mon, May 02, 2022, 7:21 PM UTC

moralestapia wrote: post #27

Weird, first it says, "[...] zero plastic thrown in a garbage can in the United States enters the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre", in bold letters. But then later in the article, it admits that about 50% of US plastics (it is unclear whether is all of them or only the ones meant to be recycled) were shipped "to Indonesia and Vietnam, which proceeded to improperly dump over 80% of it." So, it does go into the ocean in…

I thought it was pretty clear, if you put the straw in the garbage can it will not enter the garbage patch, it goes to the landfill. If you put it in the recycling bin it has a good chance of entering the garbage patch.

Re: An illustrated guide to plastic straws (2021)

#32

Post by McNutty » Mon, May 02, 2022, 7:22 PM UTC

moralestapia wrote: post #27

Weird, first it says, "[...] zero plastic thrown in a garbage can in the United States enters the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre", in bold letters. But then later in the article, it admits that about 50% of US plastics (it is unclear whether is all of them or only the ones meant to be recycled) were shipped "to Indonesia and Vietnam, which proceeded to improperly dump over 80% of it." So, it does go into the ocean in…

The point being made in the article is that plastic thrown into garbage cans in the US end up securely held in the sealed landfills as described,while plastics sent for recycling in the US end up getting exported and ultimately improperly dumped.

The author is saying that you should put plastics in the garbage rather than in the recycling.

Re: An illustrated guide to plastic straws (2021)

#33

Post by nine_k » Mon, May 02, 2022, 7:22 PM UTC

munificent wrote: post #16

drewg123 wrote: post #6

If you want to save the oceans, ban plastic fishing equipment, as nets and other gear is the biggest plastic polluter in the oceans: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/06/dumped-f...

This article is a great example of how poor use of math can do a disservice to the public. The article says: > Lost and abandoned fishing gear which is deadly to marine life makes up the majority of large plastic pollution in the oceans This is one of those statistics that shouldn't even pass the sniff test. Think about all of the millions of ways that humans use plastic across every single industry, job, and area of…

Humans use metals in colossal quantities, but only a small proportion of that, used to make weapons and ammo, is responsible for the majority of human deaths induced by metal items.

Similarly, fishing gear is specifically produced to lure, trap, catch, and ultimately kill marine life. One abandoned fishing net could be much more deadly than 10x of the same plastic by weight in the form of plastic straws, spoons, and cups.

I don't know if it's indeed so, but I can easily see why it could be so.

Re: An illustrated guide to plastic straws (2021)

#34

Post by legitster » Mon, May 02, 2022, 7:23 PM UTC

Plastic gets a bad wrap. But it's a pretty dang efficient material. It takes so little energy and material to make something very functional and resilient. I know that CO2 analyses of the replacements to plastic bags and straws has not been very kind to them.

I find it commendable to encourage people to consumer less stuff, but the war on plastic straws has been a huge step back - it's done relatively little to actually help, but has imposed huge and everyday annoyances on everyone. These should be the exact opposite goals of environmental reforms when there are much lower hanging fruits available.

Re: An illustrated guide to plastic straws (2021)

#35

Post by McNutty » Mon, May 02, 2022, 7:24 PM UTC

haunter wrote: post #25

Went to McDonald's today to get a milkshake, they only have paper straws here since 2019 iirc. Anyways the milkshake itself doesn't but I assume our saliva "softens" the paper straw so much that after a couple of minutes I had to turn the straw around to use the other end otherwise I just can't get the milkshake through lol if that make sense. I'm thinking about getting 2 straws next time.

Personally I just drink from the cup. I never use a straw when drinking at home, I don't magically require one when not at home.

Re: An illustrated guide to plastic straws (2021)

#36

Post by mike_d » Mon, May 02, 2022, 7:24 PM UTC

moralestapia wrote: post #27

Weird, first it says, "[...] zero plastic thrown in a garbage can in the United States enters the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre", in bold letters. But then later in the article, it admits that about 50% of US plastics (it is unclear whether is all of them or only the ones meant to be recycled) were shipped "to Indonesia and Vietnam, which proceeded to improperly dump over 80% of it." So, it does go into the ocean in…

> your plastic straw has a big chance of finding its way to the sea

IF you put it in a recycling bin. Here is a quick breakdown:

- Black bin (trash): Goes to a landfill where it is regulated by the EPA and stored in containment and the off-gas is harvested for energy

- Blue bin (recycling): Gets shipped by boat across an ocean to a third world country where it is dumped because that is the most profitable thing to do and it is no longer subject to regulatory oversight that it actually gets recycled

Re: An illustrated guide to plastic straws (2021)

#37

Post by legitster » Mon, May 02, 2022, 7:24 PM UTC

moralestapia wrote: post #27

Weird, first it says, "[...] zero plastic thrown in a garbage can in the United States enters the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre", in bold letters. But then later in the article, it admits that about 50% of US plastics (it is unclear whether is all of them or only the ones meant to be recycled) were shipped "to Indonesia and Vietnam, which proceeded to improperly dump over 80% of it." So, it does go into the ocean in…

Right at the bottom of the article:

> Locally: You must reduce the amount of plastic shipped overseas by putting it in the regular garbage instead of the recycle bin.

The premise is that recycling creates pollution but landfills do not.

Re: An illustrated guide to plastic straws (2021)

#38

Post by McNutty » Mon, May 02, 2022, 7:25 PM UTC

munificent wrote: post #16

drewg123 wrote: post #6

If you want to save the oceans, ban plastic fishing equipment, as nets and other gear is the biggest plastic polluter in the oceans: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/06/dumped-f...

This article is a great example of how poor use of math can do a disservice to the public. The article says: > Lost and abandoned fishing gear which is deadly to marine life makes up the majority of large plastic pollution in the oceans This is one of those statistics that shouldn't even pass the sniff test. Think about all of the millions of ways that humans use plastic across every single industry, job, and area of…

I think you've overlooked the keyword large in the opening statement

Re: An illustrated guide to plastic straws (2021)

#39

Post by saltdotac » Mon, May 02, 2022, 7:26 PM UTC

moralestapia wrote: post #27

Weird, first it says, "[...] zero plastic thrown in a garbage can in the United States enters the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre", in bold letters. But then later in the article, it admits that about 50% of US plastics (it is unclear whether is all of them or only the ones meant to be recycled) were shipped "to Indonesia and Vietnam, which proceeded to improperly dump over 80% of it." So, it does go into the ocean in…

That’s why I disagree with the article’s conclusion that getting rid of plastic straws is “stupid”. There are alternatives, some better than others at their job of fluid delivery to your face parts, but most doing a better job of not polluting.

Re: An illustrated guide to plastic straws (2021)

#40

Post by rexreed » Mon, May 02, 2022, 7:29 PM UTC

moralestapia wrote: post #27

Weird, first it says, "[...] zero plastic thrown in a garbage can in the United States enters the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre", in bold letters. But then later in the article, it admits that about 50% of US plastics (it is unclear whether is all of them or only the ones meant to be recycled) were shipped "to Indonesia and Vietnam, which proceeded to improperly dump over 80% of it." So, it does go into the ocean in…

These are both correct. Trash in a US garbage can usually ends up in a landfill. Recycling is often sent overseas, where it ends up in a different Gyre. Either way, a plastic straw (according to the article) doesn't enter in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre if thrown into the trash or sent to recycling, it ends up in a landfill if trash, or a different gyre if sent overseas. Lesson learned: sometimes throwing stuff away is better. And don't litter, it goes without saying.