Most of us think it is a given for restaurants to have ice and drinking straws. We ask for ‘no ice’ or even ‘less sugar’, but we almost never ask for ‘no straws’. Sometimes, things that are a given are not always essential, but just a habit. The habit of using a plastic straw every time we consume a cold beverage has a negative impact on our environment . Furthermore, contaminants in plastic litter enter our food chain, ultimately damaging our health. (Source: Ocean park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong – No straw Campaign, 2018).
The final straw
Malaysians use up about 31 million plastic straws every day, based on conservative estimates, which would likely end up in landfills. (Source: The Star Online,). In support of the environment, our government has imposed the ban on the use of plastic drinking straws effective January 1, 2020, which is aimed at traders and operators of food outlets who are licensed holders.
Why are straws bad for the environment?
(Source: Get Green Now Article, Blog)
1. Plastics straws can’t be easily recycled because they are made from polypropylene, which is not accepted by most recycling programmes.
2. Plastic is not biodegradable, and never fully degrades. It takes 200 years for a plastics straw to degrade but never be fully. Degrading of plastic releases chemicals that are toxic to wildlife and the environment.
3. Straws are littered and very often harm ocean wildlife. Straws are currently the eighth most found ocean trash in cleanups by quantity (January 2019)
Why are straws are bad for my health?
(Source: Health Magazine)
1. Gas and Bloating – Sipping beverage is also ingesting excess air which is called aerophagia. The build-up of excess air in the gastrointestinal tract may translate into more burping to release the ingested air.
2. Develop Wrinkles – Regular basis means your muscles are going through the repetitive motion of pursing the lips. Repeating this movement breaks down the collagen near our mouth, causes permanent skin creases.
3. Higher risk of cavities and tooth decay – Sipping through straw retains the sugar or acid from any drink consumed which causes cavity.
Meru Valley Resort will no longer be handing out straws as a habit. Let’s join our hands together and say NO TO STRAWS beginning today!