"what did disabled people do before [X]??" We died. It's not complicated. We died because society either couldn't or wouldn't meet our accessibility needs. I get real tired of this kinda question. I'll be sending this video to a bunch of people, thanks Jessica for being so incredibly articulate
Also many of us, including me, would have died before shunts and shunt surgery was invented, so we would not have survived to the age of needing a straw. BUT we have shunt surgery now, so when I was a new born, some doctors saved my life with some shunt surgery. As well, they saved the life of every disabled person who needs a shunt. FYI, shunt tubing is like a long straw 😱🙀.Therefore, we also need everything else that we need to stay alive for the remainder of our lives. Like straws and catheters. For my disability, straws are not that vital, but catheters keep me alive. Since catheters are basically a straw for my bladder, shall we have a nice conversation about how some able bodied people probably don’t think I’m worthy of taking a proper piss? I mean why not? I throw away a catheter and catheter wrapping every single time I pee. So do many other disabled people who catheterize. Come at me. 🤷♂️🖕🏽
The better question would probably be what did people do before products that make things mildly more convenient for able bodied people? Even plastic bags for loose fruit at supermarkets, before them we used paper, which is more sustainable in the long run and would not make that much of a difference to people’s lives now, whereas taking away straws would clearly make some disabled people’s lives extremely difficult.
Yes! I got so excited today when I went to a supermarket that didn't use any single use plastic bags at all, and then I took a step back and thought, 'Okay, but why are they the only ones?' This is in California where people will actually pay extra money for "reusable" bags that they just throw out because they were ten cents. There are SO MANY THINGS that we could change and affect basically no one. Literally just take them away, and everyone would be fine.
We need to encourage framing plastic straws as a disability device instead of as a luxury, and keep them readily available. I don't know why this is so hard for companies to understand.
People with disabilities should bring their own medical supplies and not rely on others to pay it for them. If you have special needs than no one else should have to look for you but yourself and your care giver. I have a disorder but I don't expect people to buy me medical supplies when I go to places. I have to buy specific soap and not use default soap at the store cause it breaks me out. And also I have to use fragrance free and medical bum wipes so I don't hurt myself when I poo. No one knows I have that disorder but for me so I am the only one responsible for that to bring my own stuff. I think it's kinda ridiculous that people expect people to do stuff for them when they don't even know about your very specific medical condition. It's not their responsibility it's yours. So they can do whatever they want. If they don't like plastic straws then they don't have to buy them. You bring your own.
@@poopfarts460 There is a difference between other people buying you medical supplies and not banning plastic straws that were once available for disabled people
I had a friend (who now hates me for unrelated reasons but whatever) rant at me for using the plastic straw at a fast food place unlike her with her metal one. We were both drinking out of plastic cups which we both threw in the trash because there was no recycling bin. Just a tad hypocritical. Also, the "friend" specifically mentioned saving the turtles when this took place in Ohio which is between 300 and 500 miles from the nearest sea turtle (depends on how you do the math). There's a higher chance of the cup causing injury to a more local animal. Say by being accidentally ingested or even more likely getting stuck on an animal's head.
“Yes, Disabled people want to be treated like everyone else, but they cannot live like everyone else, if their accessibility needs are not met.” 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽
K so their banning plastic straws did they forget about people who have braces need straws to drink some types of drinks so it all a bit stupid focus on bigger problems
@@niamhhamill8068 I think this would include not only fizzy but all acidy drinks (sodas, juices, everything with citric acid and other) because they harm the teeth
In Germany it is normal that you get a drink in the restaurant without a straw. If you ask for it you get it. You don't have to be disabled, maybe you just like to drink with a straw thats fine.
same here in the netherlands, but mostly if it's an adult or a teen who they're sure of doesn't have any complications they're a little more hesitant. kids and people who have (visual) complications get one without having to ask, but if it's a complication that isn't visible you can still ask but they'll often ask as to why a straw is necessary. They always ask you this, but even if your explanation isn't really believable you're likely to get a straw anyway
@@awkwardgeektalk416 that's really dodgy. If I'm asked why I need a straw, my answer is "my medical history is none of your business". A waitress is not a doctor. They have zero knowledge of my health conditions or how they might affect me. It's completely insensitive.
I can't remember any time I've ever been given a styrofoam takeaway box. They're either hard plastic which can be reused countless times, or they're metal or paper.
They should focus on disposable cups, plates and cutlery. like people have parties and 4 bags of plastic go in the bin from one night of fun~ i do like the fact that they're being conscious about the straws, but as you said, staws are tiny. One thing that a restaurant did that i used to work at was keeping the straws behind the counter, so that people would ask for them instead of grabbing a handful and chucking the unused ones lol
That does make so much more sense, let people ask and then you won’t get as much waste from unwanted straws, and, unlike where someone would have to give proof of disability, and possibly feel conscious of that, they would just be someone asking for a straw, no judgement or questioning ❤️
There are SPECIFIC reasons why straws are more damaging. It's not just the waste in general, it's the size and shape of it. Straws are notorious for being ingested and inhaled by marine life and that makes it bad both in a general pollutant sense and in an immediate threat to life sense.
I think disposable cups, plates, bowls, and cutlery could also be something useful to people with disabilities. Washing dishes requires a certain amount of dexterity and stamina that some people may not have. I think in all single use items, it would be better to educate individuals of the life cycle of these items and how to dispose of them in the best way possible rather than shaming people who choose to use those items.
Omg, I wasn't aware! I'm in the environmental club in my school and we're replacing plastic straws with paper ones. Thank you for giving your input, I never thought about straws like that. I'm gonna share this with the teachers in charge of the club. But seriously, thank you for giving me perspective I wouldn't otherwise have.
If you want to cut down on waste I think the biggest waste the individual consumer causes is disposable cups/bottles. If you carry around a tumbler or water bottle (and limit your use of single-use plastic straws/cutlery when possible) you're cutting down on all the cups you use in a day. My college puts drinks in recycled plastic cups but if you get a cup every time you eat that's 21 plastic cups a week. HOWEVER! The biggest cause of pollutants is BIG CORPORATIONS! The BEST qway to make a difference is to go after the companies mass-producing trash.
I see a lot of people down here comparing the straws to epi pens. 1) an epi pen will cost between 200 and 400 USD. 50 count plastic straws cost me around 50 cents. 2) Straws are a more common utensil in the disabled community than an epi pen. Also seeing lots of people saying "then they should be responsible and bring their own." I work with adults that are wheel chair bound, mentally unaware, can't speak, have to be guided to walk, etc. I can work with up to 5 clients at a time. As usually only 1 of MY clients may need a straw at a time, they do not always get packed into our outing bag, especially if a different staff packs the bag, or our plans and details change.
Just wanted to say that I know in the disabled community people use terms like wheelchair USERS, the alternative is offensive because it portrays the wheelchair as a problem not something which increases people's freedom and independence.
Are these people also considering the environmental impact of paper, silicone, etc straws? Paper straws require you to cut down trees to produce, and they are single use. Also, the reusable straws require very good cleaning and rinsing which uses a lot of water. Plus metal and glass use up more gasoline in transport than plastic. So you'd have to use it many many times before you actually made an impact. I am tired of people banning things and then offering solutions that might be worse The same is true of plastic bags. You have to use a cotton bag more than a hundred times before you have any positivr environmental impact (because cotton is so resource intensive). People tend to lose the bag, break it, etc, before it even reaches a hundred uses. How many times would you need to wash that silicone straw before it actually had any real effect?
My sister is severely disabled, both mentally and physically and she can't drink any other way than through a straw. Her arms are too weak to lift a cup, she can't swallow that much liquid at once etc. She would chew on a paper straw, she could be easily injured by metal or glass and reusable straws tend to get mold in them over time... also majority of them is not bendable, which is an important factor. We reuse them a lot but they inevitably end up damaged or moldy and there is nothing else that really works as well as thin plastic straws. I just think that people focus too much on straws instead of overusing plastic in general, just because of a social media campaign... we at home recycle, we grow our own greens, we are trying to cut down our waste but my sister just needs these straws, they are as necessary as her other medical supplies... but the straw thing is just ... blowing out of proportions there. Thank you for a great, informative video Jessica
@@sweetcanada17 I know you are trying to be helpful here, but if you watch the video there are reasons silicone and other options don't work. It is worth examining why everyone is so certain that those of us dependent on straws simply don't have the same basic info that the ableds have. These are vital to our daily life (or in this case, vital to her sister, whom she clearly loves)....it might be safe to assume that we have considered all the options more than those who are not literally *dependent* on straws.
have you tried Pyrex glass straws, they're shatter proof and come with a natural curve? I've used the same lot for about 10 years after my sister and I got extremely sick to the point of hospitalisation from plastic ones having mold grow in them. My sister was only 2 or 3 when we got them so they really can handle anything! Plus since they're tempered glass they can be boiled so you can be assured all bacteria is dead and gone! But at the end of the day you know what is right for your sister, and I completely understand how hard simple tasks are for all kinds of disabilities. My old neighbour was severely disabled and actually used a baby bottle up until her passing at age 12, she just didn't have the coordination to use anything else
as a physically able bodied person i obviously can't speak for anyone physically disabled but i feel like a lot of this could be solved by just having restaurants and other establishments *ask* if you want a straw. instead of the disabled person having to ask and possibly getting refused or embarrassed, have the waiter ask. then someone who needs a straw can get it without having to ask, but someone who has no need or want for a straw doesn't get one. from my experience, lots of people don't actually use the straw that is given to them, but i'm sure those unused straws get thrown away nonetheless. we could save a lot of unnecessary plastic from being wasted while also not blocking the needs of disabled people just by asking if the customer wants a straw. maybe i've missed something, but i honestly think this could solve the straw problem. (not the activists who will push right pass the needs of disabled people and say that they're killing the planet, but the general public... maybe, idk) obviously the real problem is in the countless other needless singe use plastic items, but until we can get people to understand this it's nothing but straw debates.
zoe leigh this is very helpful for me, I have cold sensitivity urticaria which means my hands get hives when I hold (particularly glass and metal) ice filled glasses, so the less I have to actually hold the cup, the better. And while I don’t personally care if I get a plastic or biodegradable/paper straw, i really don’t love having to either 1. Ask for a straw when I see my drink didn’t come with one or 2. Potentially ask for my drink to be made without ice so I can actually hold it
I was at a restaurant recently where they asked me if I needed one. I said yes and the waitress grimaced. Without the grimace or other dirty looks, I love the idea. An alternative that may protect the feelings of disabled people would be to have them at every table in a round. That way people who needed them would know they are there and most other people wouldn't even notice.
That waiter was shit. I cashier and I ask people all the time if they want a plastic bag or not. I go through bags very slowly thanks to this. Which is a bonus to the company, so you'd think even without a moral compass corporations would at least be interested in the monitary gain of "just asking." I even (as politely as I can) will offer a bag again when I notice the person has a physically disability (like uses a cane, broken leg, etc) just in case they declined out of reactionary politeness.
Zoe Leigh, I posted earlier that I thought straws should be available only on request, but I think your idea is better. Maybe also have the option of a paper or bamboo straw, for people who would rather use those.
Her: *chart of alternatives and why there is problems with them* Large chunk of comments: YEAH BUT *insert straw that was on the chart* IS AN ALTERNATIVE!!!! Guys please watch the video before you comment on it (and I know I'm late to the party)
Alex P did you even watch the video??? Some disabled people get SEIZURES they cant control, some disabled people bite down everything they have to put their teeth around And finally some are ALLERGIC If you dont need straws and have no allergies and are a healthy dumb ass bitch of a person that can use the alternatives just fine because you arent prone to hurting yourself or have any allergies then go ahead and use them But consider that those things can cause death to some people Do you even know what certain attacks and seizures are? Think of all the old people you can’t control some things and especislly during a you aren’t even aware but jerking extremely and anyone that touches you can lose s finger from a bite or get something dislocated from a strong pull (even small weak children can pull an adult onto the floor during a seizure) and think about the straws that can stab through the roof of their mouth or just anywhere else Or some (especially old) people that cant swallow food and even drinks well that might choke because of the alternatives breaking Not everyone is in a healthy condition where they can hold a cup just fine without creating a (sometimes dangerous) mess
Alex P you sound like a big baby. If you don’t even know what not positionable means then I don’t think you are in a place to call anyone an idiot. Come talk to me when you have a disability and need to use something that others are attempting to take away from you. That way I can come laugh at you and call you an idiot and not listen to try and understand anything you are trying to say. People like you can’t see the forest for the trees. You think you are helping, but you’re not. Go do some research before you spout your nonsense, child.
It does. There's way too many plastic straws in the oceans or other tyoes of environment. Every plastic you pick up reduces the waste a little bit. Straws make a lot. They are so unnecessary and dumb. If disabled people need them, they can should have them (although if anyone made an alternative it would be the best), but straws are mostly used very unnecessarily and they pollute the earth along with cups and bottles and that's a fact
sincerely I started the video thinking "why can't you bring your own like everybody else" but now I'm extremely sorry for thinking in such a disrespectful and awful way. You are right, there are so many single use plastic to think of. I'm am really sorry for my thoughts.
The poll of plastic straws vs disabled peoples needs was meant to be sarcastic. Hannah Witton (who was the original source) has a disability as well and she does a lot of research as to know and educate herself on many things including disabilities. She just did it as sarcasm and to spread awareness on the issue. Great video btw! ❤
Helene de Marcellus well yeah nature doesn't need us but we need nature. God you're so disassociated from nature and life you think you're above it. There in lies the problem. You're disgusting.
@Helene de Marcellus she thinks people should die because they need a small percentage of the plastic in the ocean to survive instead of us stopping fishnets and the big parts of this issue. Gotta love that high horse. She's too far gone to listen to reason.
@Marie Cue No *you're* part of the problem. You don't understand that straws aren't a big problem. You don't understand that banning straws hurts people. You also don't seem to understand that using disassociated in a derogatory tone hurts people with DID. Maybe you're the one who needs to open their eyes.
My sister has got celiac disease, meaning not only isn't she allowed to EAT gluten but also isn't she allowed to eat food that came in touch with gluten (yay!). So, for example, she's got her own butter at home because otherwise she might accidentally eat butter with crumbs from our "normal" bread. And we aren't allowed to spread things that she also wants to eat (just like ... peanut butter?!) on our bread, we have to throw it. (That can look funny as hell, you should try it!) Okay WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO SAY IS: When we were at a cafe once, she got an iced chocolate milk and instead of giving her a straw, they put a kind of noodle/spaghetti (I forgot what they're called. These spaghetti with a hole so you could also drink through it). But of course, the spaghetti wasn't gluten free soo not only wasn't she allowed to drink through the spaghetti-straw but also couldn't she drink her chocolate milk. (She got a second one for free, btw, and they gave her a plastic straw, then) --- If there are any grammar or spelling mistakes I'm sorry, English isn't my first language ^^
‘Throw it’ XD Reminds me of when I use a spoon for cream or anything else I want to avoid contaminating when adding it to my bread because I’ve already used the knife to spread jam or butter or something else.
I know this is a year old, but I’ve been going nuts about this all week... the paper straws have gluten in the glue, and it hospitalized my friend’s child FOR A WEEK. I bet that saved resources.
This is a very important imput. As someone who's currently caring for my barely mobile 83 year old grandmother I can tell you this: if not for straws, she wouldn't be able to eat or drink at the worst times, when she's bedridden, when she's too weak to hold a cup etc. They have been essential to our household for the last several years. I couldn't imagine what I'd do if plastic straws were suddenly out of use in my country, and think recycling plastic is a much more viable solution compared to reducing usage of entire classes of products - especially something as vital as that.
As a waitress, I don't bring straws to anyone unless they ask, or if they are clearly disabled (we have a lot of regulars with a range of disabilities) But, I would never force someone to prove said disabilities. I smile say of course, and bring them a straw. Like a decent human being. Personally, I deal with hypersensitivity and one of the ways this manifests is my absolute hatred of metal. I use plastic Cutlery exclusively- to the point where I keep a set in my bag at all times. But when I forget, I legitimately will struggle eating anything that I can't use my hands for. Yes rerseable straws are great! But not everyone can use them. Protecting the environment is extremely important, but we can't ignore the needs of other living beings
Are the kinds of silverware with the grips also a tactile problem for you? I know there are lots of options for the bases of silverware such as hard permanent plastics, silicone grips, and even occasionally wood ones. Idk how the wood ones stay clean, though. That seems dubious to me.
A very good friend of mine cannot drink ANYTHING without a straw. He sometimes even needs someone else to open the straw paper. While I am a HUGE environmentalist, no one should be overlooked at such a level. Especially an entire community! We should definitely focus on the single-use plastics that make up a larger percentage of our trash.
I get some people are physically unable to drink without using a straw and they of course shouldn’t be overlooked but most people able bodied CAN use alternatives and/or go without, these are the people that need the ban, or be heavily discouraged from using them. That way a huge amount of straws don’t end up in the environment. Going off topic here but it’s like saying electric cars need to replace ICE cars...they do...within reason. I get some people live in flats/apartments and have no access to car chargers and some people drive more that 100 miles on a day to day basis, but as said above this should not detract from the fact the MAJORITY of people drive only from A to B and are able to get a car charger. That way ICE cars can be drastically reduced.
At my job they banned plastic straws and have switched to paper ones. I can't count the number of times safety has been called because a kid choked on it.
I have recently started to need a straw when drinking because of a tremor in my hands. I spill juice everywhere which is annoying enough but spilling coffee or tea is outright painful, especially as it spills all over my hands. I made the mistake of using my metal straw with a coffee a little while ago and ouch. Won't make that mistake again. My tremor also affects my mouth and eyes etc. sometimes I unintentionally bite down on straws and hurt my (already very sensitive) teeth. I nearly cried when I went in to cafe nero recently and got a cold drink given to me with a paper straw. Two minutes later that straw was mush and I had to awkwardly try and take the lid off and drink it without a straw while concentrating really hard on not spilling it everywhere. It didn't help that there was a group of little old ladies at the next table watching me struggle. Plastic are by far the best I've used for not causing injury and making it possible for me to drink hot drinks
You should try silicone if you're not allergic to them you can bite down and they are bendy also plastic straws in hot drinks can melt a little and you can end up drinking it straw are most definitely not the biggest problem but every little counts
I absolutely love you! People complain about straws which take up 0.03% of sea harmful.. however fishing nets is 48% so stop eating seafood much more helpful to the seas! Silicone straws are amazing though
I personally don't understand why fishing nets are made of plastic. Other than being possibly cost efficient, I don't see the advantage. People have been fishing with nets long before the invention of plastic. Nets could be manufactured from hemp or cotton like they used to be prior to the 1960's.
As someone who always brings their own straw, and is completely against plastic straws, I have to say that the diagram in this video actually was very helpful and I agreed with all of it. This is the first good argument I have seen and I now realize how important plastic straws are to some people. Very informative. 👌
While I do agree that there should not be a ban, as that would put disabled people at a disadvantage, I still think they shouldn't be given out automatically and there should be an "on-request" system. However, and this is the important bit, there should be no questioning or demanding why. Someone wants a straw, give them one. Although I'm sure some non-disabled people would abuse this and use straws anyway, most of us wouldn't bother asking for one if it wasn't placed under our nose. Single-use plastic straw waste would go down significantly even if a fraction of the population stopped using them. But more importantly, disabled people would still be able to get them on request without having to prove anything - because just the thought of that is horrendous. As with most things, banning something rarely solves everything and always puts certain people at a disadvantage. But that doesn't mean that aims to reduce something that is being used unnecessarily in some situations should be brushed aside either. Striking a balance is paramount.
Ideally, it should be on the people providing the staws that ask. Like, "would you like a staw with that?" It takes some of the pressure off the person needing the straw. But you'd still have the issue of snobby staff either way
Thank you so much for talking about this issue! As a disabled woman myself, although I don’t have issues with straws in particular, I know how much they’re so necessary for some within the community. I’m so glad to see you continuing this conversation. It’s so important. ❤️
Maybe you should get a sustainable one , like a glass or steel straw to keep with you . There are also packs of multiple straws so you can keep one in different places like your bag, car.. :) all the best
Nada Errabie As much as that may sound like a good idea and I am all for trying to improve our environment and take care of our planet, she went over it in the video why such substitutions don’t work and why the burden should not be left on the disabled community. I appreciate your insight though.
Miss Luna If you don't have a staw issues or any allergies that prevent you from using a reusable straw why not use one? I can understand it in the case of some dissabled people but you said yourself that you don't have a straw issue. If you are capably why not do it?
I didn't say that I was opposed to personally using other alternatives as I am fully capable of using them, but being in the disabled community (I have spina bifida) and being surrounded by those with different needs varying by the disability that someone has, I've seen why plastic straws in particular are important, as explained in the video. Hope that clears things up. :)
Yassss wholeheartedly agree! Two weeks ago I lost all feeling in one side of my face and it's absolutely impossible to drink without a straw. Yes I probably could use a disposable one but when I've forgotten (e.g. out at a restaurant) it is an lifesaver to have a cold drink when too hot I AM VEGAN, RECYCLE EVERYTHING I CAN, WEAR SECOND HAND CLOTHES. GIVE US A BREAK PLEASE ☺
I have an older epileptic brother and he also has pretty bad social anxiety. He isn't allowed to have metal straws just in case he has a seizure. So many places have given him glass or metal straws to drink from. I've had to ask for a plastic straw for him so many times. It might look so funny from some people's perspective ,a 16 year old girl asking for a plastic straw cause my brother can't use them by it's a serious issue.
Can you explain why he can't use metal one? It is obvious that glass straw can break and hurt him, but what is wrong with the metal? I don't know anything about that problem so that would be nice if you can explain that ^^"
@@wiorawiewiora that's absolutely fine, basically when my brother has a seizure he bites down, which would be ok with a metal straw (he's bitten through his tongue twice, not a nice sight) but if he falls forward while having a seizure a metal straw can cut the back of his throat or the roof of his mouth. It's also a good thing that you asked. Many people wouldn't educate themselves 😂
They make silicone straws! Im not sure if you already knew that already or not but they're really floppy and there would be no risk of him getting hurt on them! You would just have to carry them with you all the time:/ edit: I just saw that she mentions silicone straws in the video lmao
"Oh but the straw will go to the oceans" Recycling. "But many people whom don't need it keeps using it" Do YOUR part, pal. We use waaay too much plastic, in general, don't get why all this hate because of plastic straws only. Just consider alternatives and choose the best for you + the planet, do what you can and respect other people's needs :D
From what I understand, single use straws are made of non recyclable plastics. This leads to my biggest question, Why the hell cant they be made of recyclable plastic?!?! I’m not a chemistry genius, so maybe someone can explain to me why we can’t make all recycle ALL plastics?
Why use ones made of recyclable plastic when you can have ones made out of biodegradable material? (which is exactly what starbucks is transitioning to). And for that matter, why not just get reusable ones and cut that waste entirely?
Dandy Lion with all of the technology we have today it just makes me want to call BS on the people that say that! Not you, but the places that say that. We can go to the moon, but we can’t figure out how to sort out materials? Smells fishy to me!
Unfortunatly something that a lot of people don't realise is that even if a plastic is recyclable and it is recycles properly, the product it then becomes is actually no longer recyclabe. So I agree a lot of research still needs to be done to find the best way of dealing with all of these problems in a way that is open to all.
I watch this video every now and then and not until recently I have noticed what Jessica have warned us all this time would happen, has happened. Among them: 1. The trouble that comes when you have to ask for straws when you need it, yesterday, a twitter thread from user EhlersDanlosgrl went viral. She shared her experience how she was denied a straw and then was humiliated by a waitress and the manager. Reading her experience was just infuriating. 2. Malaysia will send more than 400 tonnes of contaminated plastic back to where they came from, and they came from countries such US, UK, Australia and New Zealand. Yeah, the companies that are supposed to recycle plastics aren't really doing their job. Honestly, just include everyone especially the disabled people when we the able-bodied want to come up with something. There should be a healthy discussion where we could listen and understand everyone's needs. We need to be more mindful.
It might seem counter intuitive, but the bigger(within reason) something is the easier it is to deal with properly. In the case with cup lids they are reasonably sized and all the same color so they can be machine sorted. To recycle straws you would need to hand sort, which realistically you aren't going to find people willing to do. Nor are they big enough to mark properly so you would need to test every single straw to figurine out which plastic they are made out of, plastic lids on the other hand almost always have the recycling marks on them.
@preston badplay Not as dumb as you who clearly doesn't comprehend that plastic BREAKS DOWN in the ocean and FISH, INCLUDING TURTLES, CONSUME THE PLASTIC BITS.
preston badplay but those big plastic cup tops are eroded in the ocean and then turn into micro plastics which are then consumed by every single animal in the ocean from tiny krill to enormous whales. So you can imagine that krill are eating these micro plastics, and then the plastic laden krill are being eaten by fish. Now these fish have also been eating slightly larger bits of plastic that have been floating around, so this and the krill have caused quite the buildup of plastic. Now we go onto catch those fish and ultimately consume them, meaning we ourselves are eating micro plastic and thus plastic makes it’s way into our own diets.
Prove your medical need? In Canada we give them to anyone who asks...but if you don't ask you don't get one automatically thereby reducing their use, no need to make a sudden complication on a good way to prevent excess waste. Edit, yes we need to use a lot of our activism energies to reducing the garbage patch.
Most places in my part of Canada still automatically include a straw. Hopefully that will change where they aren't banned but just aren't given unless requested.
I live in Winnipeg and here too you need to ask but will be given a straw if you do. I'd like to note though that this is for sit-down restaurants because, for eg, all fast food places automatically give you a straw. I have to say no or hand it back if I don't want it.
Ah yes...Fast food still gives plastic straws, for now. Unless it's out at UBC. They give out paper straws at Triple O's there. But you can ask for plastic.
A lot of ignorant people are nasty to those who ask for plastic straws, I've personally seen it happen, and the disabled person then has to put up with this nastiness or explain WHY they need a straw so they aren't shamed, because not everyone who is disabled looks that way, etc. It may seem like a small thing, but no consumer should be treated that way, so I personally don't like the idea of asking but would prefer fast food chains offering grabbable options, plastic and biodegradable, or waitresses asking if anyone at the table would like a straw, and said waitress being taught why some people might NEED one. I saw online someone, who was a waiter, tell a customer "would you like a straw or would you rather save a turtle and the environment" in a nasty way, and that's not okay whatsoever when straws aren't the sole problem
I work at a Starbucks and when people get into the straw debate with me, I tell them that if they're so concerned, they should be using reusable grocery bags and water bottles before taking straws from disabled people
A word thrown around a lot is zero waste. which means a lot of things to different people but I try and define it as being as low waste as you can be without damaging your own health. I once saw a thread of someone being like "i feel so guilty that all of my medication comes in plastic blister packs" then something like should i stop taking the medication. Take care of yourself and your body. There are more important plastic issues to fight (such as abandoned tents at music festivals.)
Agree! I am trying to hard to recycle or reuse my pill bottles and trying to engage local pharmacies to have drop off location but yeah...what am I supposed to do? Just have seizures and heart attacks?
@@Veronica-fc9td There's a community center up the street from me who have a food pantry as well. They use the pill bottles to portion out things like laundry soap and shampoo.
@@Nirrrina what a good idea! Our town has those little Pantry's as well! Our animals shelter and humane society used the bottles for various things too!
@@Veronica-fc9td I didn't know about the animal shelters also using them. Oohhhh I just got an idea. Instead of using tp rolls to make a cat enrichment toy for my cats I think I'll just hot glue some bottles to something. Then my cats can fish kitty treats out of that. It should last longer too. If it works maybe I'll make some nicer looking ones to donate to the shelter. I certainly have enough of the various sized bottles around. I'll have to come up with a way to decorate them, or at least make them look a bit nicer. I don't think the usual answer of spray paint it would be a very good idea. But I might finally find a reason for washi tape.
As a geriatric nurse, I really do understand your need to stay independent in this aspect of life. Even a small thing like a straw can give people so much more quality in life because they can do something without having to ask for someone's help... Take care of yourself, stay strong and enjoy life! Greets from Germany (:
I have to admit I'm a smidge sad that my chart wasn't credited -- as I put a TON of time and research into it and have talked about this topic for months -- but I'm just grateful the information got out there and that it's reaching more and more people every day now.
Bumping! 💙 (It wasn't in the "sources" section, either, which surprised me. I've seen your name on the bottom of that chart on Twitter, too, and it's different from the pink/purpley/black one.) Thanks for that resource!
Can I just say as a fellow Brit, we have these people discussing 0.02% of the ocean's plastic and assuming they're *so environmentally conscious wonderful people*, while an actual environmental movement in the UK is focused on stopping fracking and increasing air traffic. Real environmentalists will, I hope, laugh at them. 😑😅
"Well what did you do befor-" "WE DIED". Keeping that response in my back pocket for the next ableist garbage I have to listen to. Thank you for making such a useful video!
That is basically my response everytime people are like "there weren't any autistic/gay people 100 years ago!!!!!!!!" as if that is a valid argument. I wonder if these people even went to elementary school...
Whoa. I started clicking on your videos because I was on vintage hair styling search. Then I saw this video, then I saw some of your other videos......I'm not the kind of person that watches RU-vid a lot or would ever have a favorite RU-vidr, until I found you! I love when you talked about how confusing a disabled person's life is. In the last three years my life has changed because of chronic illness in a way I never imagined. Able-splaining. Love it. ♥️🌈 Thank you so much for sharing your story and getting on the soapbox for all of us.
~ another problem w paper straws is that people with issues with sensory issues. I can NOT use paper straws sometimes. On a good day i can put up with it, other days it makes me feel physically sick. Luckily for me I’m able bodied enough to go without a straw (although i like to have a reusable ones).
I was gonna say I'm the rare autistic person that doesn't get sensory issues from them but then again, I chew on things a lot and I do get sensory issues from soggy paper. So, point proven.
@@itsyogirlannika5778 I have autism. I chew on things for sensory stimulation. It's not as easy as just not chewing on them. I'm going to chew on something regardless and I'd rather it not be myself.
@@itsyogirlannika5778 I get sensory overload from gum. And what if I don't have money for a chewable necklace? Every solution you suggest, we've already tried. It may work for some but not everyone because not all autistic people are gonna be the same.
There are multi use plastic straws you can boil or put into the dishwasher. I have several. I have had a few since the 90’s. Still plastic yeah but at least it’s being kept and not thrown out constantly. They’re also bendy and stay that way. They have the accordion bending part.
Do have a link? Id like to check it out. Also is the plastic its made out of soft? Like can you squish the tube flat or bend it in half where the accordion part isn't even if it doesn't stay that way?
I was going to say this before I finished the video, but it bears repeating: Banning plastic straws is nothing but a scapegoat and little better than "thoughts and prayers," especially since you point out how little the plastic pollution in the oceans is straw related. Thank you for your very concise and informative video, especially that tip on slitting them on disposal, and please have a good day.
starsandauras Plastic bags and bottles were the biggest culprits, and they did stuff about both. Then the next culprit was nets, which they’ve replaced with biodegradable nets and the plastic ones are illegal. Straws just happened to be one of the higher numbers of plastic waste for its size. 0.03% of JUST STRAWS. Think about that. Think about how much larger nets are than straws. One net is like 500+ straws. People could seriously fucking cut back on the straws, banning them from able-bodied people and requiring people to ask for them IS going to make a difference. 10000000 tonnes of plastic go into the water every year. 1% of that is 10000000kg. So 0.03% is about 300,000kg of plastic straws alone... just STRAWS.
KesselRunHero What cohorts? My disabled friend I had about 2 years ago? My disabled aunt that died last year? My disabled great grandfather? Me? I’d love to know where you get the idea that my care about life on earth is the same as ableism. Sorry that I care about everyone equally, and don’t wanna baby people who I KNOW are perfectly capable of living lives without plastic straws. The video listed enough alternatives that ONE of them will work for pretty much every disabled person who requires a straw. If anyone is allergic to or has issue with ALL of these alternatives, it’s like maybe 10 people. The better of all over the better of few. All includes the millions of animals that die every year due to plastic pollution. It IS only a drop in the water of plastic pollution, but 3000kg of plastic is a lot of plastic still. Should I move those straws into your home instead? Also, if you’re petty enough to make waste as a protest, then you are the one who is hateful and cruel. You’re wasting the perfectly good straws you could be giving to those disabled people you care SOOOO much about(not). Do your “cohorts” dump trash into our oceans on the daily as well?
KesselRunHero Again, What cohorts? I’m not deciding what you need, I’m deciding what you don’t need, based on fucking facts. Your claim is like those people who claim they KNOW they’re wolves and no one can tell them otherwise, despite the proof. The needs of the many has never actually caused tyranny, the needs of the few have. For example, Nazi germany was all about the needs of aryan Germans and no one else. Example, fascist Russia was all about the needs of the leaders and no one else.
And if you’re not willing to change yourself to make for a better world, you don’t even deserve to be part of the world you’re taking for granted. People like you are the types who cause their own deaths with bad decisions. Lemme guess, you’re about 300lbs and you “can’t lose weight” too, right?
I find banning plastic straws very ridiculous. It doesn't feel genuine at all, more like a media stunt so they can say "Oh look at us, we are a good enviromentally conscius company". This conversarion should definitely be about how we manage waste and recycle things like plastic, not about banning single plastic thing. As an abled person it's very easy to overlook the importance of straws but huge company like starbucks... I just don't get it.
I believe Malya's point may have been to highlight the problem plastic holds in the world. It's no media stunt. If you google "plastic ecosystem," you can see for yourself. The reality is, the world is becoming more and more aware of its plastic usage and how it is finding its way into the ecosystem that directly and indirectly affects us all, i.e. fairly recently plastic microbeads which were present in certain cosmetics, were banned as they were being found in wildlife, being eaten by us(!) and even in food which we consume. In the last few years or so, there has been a very conscious effort on behalf of people like David attenborough to highlight the harm plastic is having on the world. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-IW3jEIYBFzg.html Now, just to further the discussion in a healthy direction, perhaps banning is extreme. However, here in the UK, there may be a good example of how to cut down plastic straw usage. Plastic bags were free and plentiful for many, many years. But, in 2015, England begun charging 5 pence for each one being used in shops. Since that charge was brought in, the amount of plastic bags purchased has plummeted. So, maybe this is the way forward for straws. If someone wants a plastic straw at a restaurant, they pay for one. It means they would still be available to all who need/want them. A simpler solution.
I find it really harsh about 'greenwashing' for businesses. Many plastic free environmentalists here in Australia is very radical and single minded. They kept saying to me after I said to them they are caring for people with disabilities but their promotions and statements still say 'plastic straw free'. That encouraged me to start my vlogs - about straws here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HHEbx8badyY.html
Emmy Hucker You can definitely eat farmed fish, while also trying to prevent plastic from ending up in the stomachs of most aquatic life.... Paper straws and recycled plastic straws are probably our best bet ... but there is so much more that needs to be done to take care of the actual garbage dumps circling in our oceans
People did not banned straws because they want to save fishes i mean not the only reason it's because plastic degradeing in uv light and in salty ocean water microplastics and up in the fish we eat and that fuck up our bodies. I am not vegan i love to eat fish but everybody being vegan if it ever happens is waaay down the road but that would be great because not only saves animals but more environmentally friendly.
Tamás v disagree with you on that one, there are lots of things that are more harmful to people that haven't been banned... straws have been banned because it makes a company look good while doing something that doesn't really take much effort
Rebecca Tanner i mean yeah you are absolutely right i agree with you i know it is nothing but a good marketing move but still 0.000001% less plastic in our system. Even if they do not give a fuck about it.
Never heard of this debate before, but I think request-only straws sounds like a good idea: it would drastically reduce the number of straws used, but those who need it just need to say "add a straw, please". Of course, I think anyone should be able to request them, not "disabled people only".
I think opt-in (where the server asks if you want one) is a better option. It reduces the pressure on someone who may not be able to articulate needing a straw *specifically* very well by allowing them to indicate the affirmative to a question, which might be easier to do.
Thank you for this video! I'm a marine biologist, and I was firmly on the ban straws bandwagon. I've since had a complete change of opinion, in large part though watching this video. Also, climate change is a far bigger threat to our oceans than plastic pollution.
It seems like a lot of people didn't watch the whole video before deciding to comment. Great video and I think refocusing our attention on big companies' plastic waste is a great way to make a bigger impact. Plastic straws are only a very small part of the issue.
Well that reminds me of when I went out a few months ago with some friends and they only had pasta straws - fun time I gotta tell you. For context I've got celiac disease. Not a big deal when you go to a cocktail bar, you'd say, or so I thought. Combined with my social anxiety I didn't even realize that the straw was out of pasta - which I'm allergic to. I was just too preoccupied with the social nightmare of meeting people in a public place and since I'm used to watching out for anything that could possibly contain gluten, I thought I was save. It just didn't come to my mind, that the straw could cause an issue, since it wasn't mentioned anywhere on the menu, it did contain any other allergy information though, which made this even worse. Luckily my boyfriend realized it a split second before I wanted to take my first sip and warned me. So the drink went back and a new one came. Without a straw. They just didn't have any other type of straws, which left me with a drink that is anyways kind of complicated to drink without a straw, because of the ice and herbs and all that kind of fancy stuff, that comes in a cocktail. But the fun part about this is, that I can barely hold a glass without spilling it's content since my handy is shaking at pretty much any strain I put on it, just like holding a glass. This effect gets worse with any kind of stress I'm exposed to. Like a social situation in a public place and having to return my drink because I was allergic to the straw and everyone directing their attention towards me. Needless to say, I spilled a good portion of my drink and left quite some of it in the glass, since, as mentioned, that stuff isn't easy to drink without a straw. And I'm not even considered disabled. So I support this 100%. Lets keep the straws get rid of the plastic that's really unnecessary.
A further 40% is from other plastic from the fishing industry that is no nets. Governments and big brands jump on these things because they are easier than challenging billion pound industries and individuals can feel like they are making a difference rather than getting to the point of real change. Like how turning your lights off will do very little while office buildings are lit up industrial electric use exist. Not to say leave all your lights on.
The Speak Easy Girl you act like baby steps are bad? You can expect a big company to just change over night you know... economically that’s ruining a business... baby steps...
You’re actually wrong. I work in an aquarium, and it’s been explained to us by MANY fishermen who’ve visited that they’re making nets biodegradable. People are just shifting their blame to the fishing industry instead of just accepting that they don’t need plastic bags or plastic straws. All these reasons she listed for not using other types of straws are pretty bs. There’s practically no one allergic to paper like that. If it’s not bleached paper, even fewer.
Nakia11798 so people from the fishing industry came to tell you "no no no it's not the fishing industry, we are now working on something so don't listen to people talking about our historic and ongoing impact, the Ocean Cleanup group and University of Portsmouth Civil Engineering and Surveying team aren't to be trusted. Best to listen to people who have a vested interest in not changing and ignore the experts who give accurate percentages."
The Speak Easy Girl Yeah, But fishermen do have a vested interest. Believe it or not, fish are their livelihood, and if fish die because of ILLEGAL nets, they lose their jobs. AGAIN, these plastic nets have been illegal since last year, and most fisheries have switched to the new ones. Not “people from the industry”, don’t twist my words. You make it sound like the corporate manager of OCI came in. No. I’m talking about the guys who haul the nets and gut the fish. The ones who are easily disposable and would lose their jobs if they used plastic netting. Not to mention my father works in the coastguard. He’s the one who’s monitoring these people to make sure they’re following rules. My father is an EXTREME environmentalist. Should I not trust him.
Nakia11798 I'm not asking you not to trust anyone, just pointing out that for companies the short and medium term is more important than the long term. Perhaps the types of net you are talking about has been illegal IN YOUR JURISDICTION for the past year, which ignores the part I mentioned about the historic use of plastic nets being vastly more important than individuals straw usage, but that also ignores that it is not worldwide banned and is still used by a great many fisherpeople. Yes they are the most disposable part of the chain, but they are also not the people making the decisions, which is who I was talking about. My comment was about the fact that lobbying to makw nets illegal and to fine fishing companies for the overwhelming part they have played in polutting the seas is far more worthwhile than bullying disabled people over necessities to their life or not using straws yourself and thinking that's the job done, as the massive industries want you to think.
The vast majority of people who are pro banning straws don't care about other environmental issues, like factory farming, plastic shopping bags, Tupperware (there are metal and glass alternatives.), Ziploc bags, ect. What about plastic hair brushes? Or plastic bits on shoes? Or unnecessary plastic packaging of things to make them Ultra Packaged. (Like milk, and some medications that are packaged in three different ways.) Straws aren't the issue here, the issue is apathy. I'm not expecting disabled people to go without or restaurants to refuse to buy them, I'm asking people who can choose another option, to do so. The reason why plastic straws took off so quickly is because people are all too willing to do what is easy, and assume that it's easy and do able for everyone else.
Most of the people imposing such a ban aren’t vegetarian, vegan, don’t limit their own plastic use, drive a car, etc. all of their OWN choices, rather than having a disability which is NOT YOUR CHOICE. I’m an environmental scientist and this is NOT the answer to very complicated issue that is much greater in scope than plastic straws.
So as an environmental scientist you surely understand that the issue with straws aren't just to do with them being waste plastic, but that they are notorious for injuring animals in the same way that the plastic rings around soda cans are, yes? Plastic straws ARE unnecessary entirely, and there are better options for people who need a straw (reusable or biodegradable).
Narcissus X Of course plastic straws are bad for the environment, but that does not necessarily mean a ban is going to help anything. In fact, far more concerning are plastic micro beads that fish (and by extension ourselves) eat. It’s a very new and VERY concerning field that makes all of this look like the physical symptoms of a much greater issue that could disrupt global fishing economies, kill our oceans, and kill us. Plastic straws have just become a hot topic because of how gruesome the videos look when it comes to sea turtles - if it weren’t for those, they would never be talked about because of the countless other aspects to plastic pollution.
A better solution isn't to simply ban them. Like with plastic rings there are better ways of disposing of them. People can cut them up first before throwing them out.
Thank you so much for making this video! I was completely unaware of the issues that come with banning plastic straws, and now that I am, I am appalled at how little attention this is getting. You are absolutely amazing and I love your videos, as you tend to talk about whatever you want, which is quite rare. Keep doing what you’re doing
Thanks for making this video Jessica! It is so important for people to hear this side of the story. ❤❤ Edit: Omg you saw this!! Also those statistics are crazy. A 6 month prison sentence and $1,000 fine for giving out an unwanted straw?! Thanks for shedding light on this!
Why are we potentially criminally punishing individuals for straw use but not punishing the corporations causing the most waste?? This straw ban talk is ridiculous
I really don’t get why people make such a big deal of banning straws, especially when they are so useful and important to so many people, when so many plastics are worse and more/ equally damaging
That right, and that message said in my video about it. We need to focus on human behaviour. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-HHEbx8badyY.html
@@nearlystuck6947 not exactly. We dump our trash in 3rd world countries, they throw it out for us. Places that don't even have enough food and bot as many people as first World countries sure as he'll aren't going to be making more trash than us.
I don't wanna be "able-splaining", more so "able-asking": but isn't plastic an allergy risk as well? And not hot liquid safe too? And also as much of an injury risk actually...? And the many plastic straws you'd buy over the lifetime of, say, a metal one would likely add up to the same cost, right?
The injury risk comes of rigidity. If you have spastic head or arm movement or other similar issues (seizures, etc.) you can break teeth, puncture the soft palate and even fracture the hard palate with a rigid metal straw. A disposable plastic straw wil give in an identical situation. Hell, we've all had one buckle just trying to tap it out of its paper wrapping-no way it's staying put under the force or my 4 kilo melon, and at worst you get a paper cut equivalent nick from the straw's edge. Not bad at all, compared to the hole punch the metal straw took from the roof of my mouth. I almost drowned in blood.
Thank you so much for this video, im currently very exaughsted after having frustratedly posted about how an acrylic straw i was trying to use shattered in my mouth because i bite my straws and having people come after me with alternatives to the single use ive been using, since obviously these alternatives arent working. This is a great video i keep just linking agressively because im so tired and mad that i keep having to rehash the same arguments with people and get shamed for my straw use regularly. I deeply appreciate all your videos, and the way you talk about disability in a way that i think (hope) diminishes the way people like to pity disabled people.
As a designer, this video made me want to invent a disposable bendy straw that could be made out of recyclable/no envoirmental impact materials particularly looking into the pros and cons you mentioned in the videos chart
www.indiegogo.com/projects/lolistraw-by-loliware#/ I'd be interested to see whether these could be a valid alternative to plastic straws at least in some applications
Hamburger Helper thanks! Honestly after I posted I was expecting negative feedback or people saying "plastic straws work just deal with it" but I see no reason why we can't have the best of both worlds playable, hypoallergenic, and recyclable. Like sure materal testing would be important but not impossible
Maybe this is stupid, but what if you made the plastic for normal straws a bit thicker so it could last longer, but still be positionable? You’d probably have to replace them sometimes, but I think they would be less likely to get squished or bent or get holes like when reusing normal straws.
They already exist tho..they arent the prettiest...but they are plastic and bendable. www.tervis.com/flexible-straws-11-inch-1067655.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwns_bBRBCEiwA7AVGHphZL2A5XNeClQ-Z9xXmRuHJBIOiR7t-ktB6qReVfuQ3y5JbiM3vMBoCQxgQAvD_BwE
Informative video. Thank you. My opinion on this issue has long been that servers should simply be instructed to ask whether customers would like a straw. That way if you don't want a straw for environmental reasons, cool. And if you would like a straw, whether for medical reasons or just because you really like straws, cool. My complaint about the straw thing is that servers where I live just drop a handful on the table regardless of whether anyone is actually using them, so all of those unused straws end up being thrown out as well as the used ones. But yes, there are higher priority (and less useful) plastic waste items we should target.
The companies should have been held responsible a generation ago, now we're picking up the pieces. Money has corrupted politics where I am, so they refuse to listen but we're working our way back up from local government to change that.
Honey, it is your fault. You are the consumer. You should have said NO and the companies would have not sold them and then would not have made them. Remember the black & White TV? They stopped making them years ago because people stopped buying them.
o0Avalon0o And you just react like a 12 year old kid. Everything else they said made sense but you stopped because you didn't like the first word? Shows that you are not serious about this at all or open minded enough to actually talk to other people about it.
@@ducklingscap897 Thanks! If someone's going to immediately be dismissive and condescending to me, they don't have a right to my attention. Although I prefer to give respect to people I first meet, that does not mean they can't lose it with bad behavior. I'm sure they were deeply, personally offended by my comment (Sarcasm) until you showed up as their white night.
It wasn't about them. I just don't like extremely rude behavior. Nearly all the comments I read in this comment section were nice and respectful but you were really rude. I just don't get why you are so rude to someone especially if the person makes a valid point. It just seems like you are here to write spiteful comments. Maybe you should go to another comment section for that or blow steam off in real life. That helps more than insulting random people on the internet.
request only? mate i can barely prove im eligible for priority seats on trains without severe anxiety and several "you dont look disabled"s - i cant imagine having to ask for a fuucckkinngg strawwwwwwwwwwwwwww
@@nicoleelliott5280 me? No, I'm fortunate in that I don't have to ask for much - but it's tedious and humiliating especially when people don't understand why this walking girl needs a disabled toilet (I'm incontinent and I have arthritis but nobody believes me BC 'young people don't get that') so I can imagine how uncomfortable it must be to ask for a straw - hardly anyone is gonna understand that.
@@h0td0gwater yeah that must be tough. People need to realise that not all disabilities are obvious to the eye. It's also a shame that people don't think you have arthritis because you're young😕 well I wish you the best for the future😊
@@h0td0gwater I love the "you're too young to be disabled" line...it is right up there with the bazillion times I've heard that I am too pretty to be disabled. "You're right. High cheekbones are supposed to project a magical forcefield around my bones and nerves, therefore keeping them from sustaining damage when I was hit crossing the road by someone doing 30mph through a crowd of pedestrians. I'm getting my money back for those physical features which are completely arbitrary and OBVIOUSLY not doing their job!" *insert eye roll*
@@Kimmaline holy shit I can feel your fury and I'm actually mad for you when I don't know you lmao. That's such bs like why can't somebody be pretty AND disabled?? I'm so fucking sick of 'your young bones can manage standing, let me sit dear' like yea maybe my young bones are fine but my joints and muscles and pain receptors aren't DeAR ahaha PS: not my place to say but I'm sorry you went through what you did. I hope the dangerous driver is behind bars and you can maybe sue him for all he's worth.
Paper straws are the worst! I have autism and I cannot stand the feeling of them, but I'm lucky that I can just choose not to use a straw if that's all there is available, most people can't.
I was one of those people who said "have you heard of bamboo straws?" On one of your videos. I only said that because I just wanted to help if you hadn't. I didn't know about the many hazard of all those types of straws. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound rude towards anyone's situation. (I also think going after straws isn't the most efficient.) Anyway. Thanks for educating me.
Dont apologize for being helpful. There are hundreds of versions of straws theres no reason why a disabled person cant find one that works for them. Bamboo will be a good option for someone!
@@KimmalineMight I recommend getting a set of steel or glass straws? Not for drinking out of though. Instead whenever an idiot hugs you about wave the steel straw around & poke it at them. At the very least it should be fun to watch their reaction.
When I went to the psych hospital, we were only allowed to use plastic straws (they said we could hurt ourselves with metal or wood straws). We also weren't allowed to use paper or biodegradable straws because they can't be used in hot liquids.
In my opinion as an able bodied person, if I and every other able bodied person do not use plastic straws that would significantly decrease the amount of straws been thrown away, and disabled people who need straws are able to use them & it won't be as bad for the planet
Ok, that's exactly what these bans are doing though. I have a toddler. He cannot drink without a straw. If we go out to eat, I will get him a water and he gets a lid and a straw, even when my drink doesn't. No one ask me to prove that my toddler needs a plastic lid and straw. And no one is denying me my own straw. I've gone to plenty of places that only give straws upon request. I have a celiacs. I've requested fresh cutlery and a wiped surface be used before my food is prepped. It is not at all uncommon to ask for special accommodations for any type of need. It happens everyday for all sorts of different kinds of people. For every advertised situation where they have banned straws, they have said that they will be available upon request from anybody who wants one. They just know that most able-bodied people are not going to request them. It's easier for people to have to remember to request to get something then it is for people to remember to request not to get something.
Gavriel Abrahams I am almost 13 but I choke the heck if I dont use a straw, no idea why. The only illness I have is athsma (well only from the ones that affect my bodily functions that is)
Most restaurants aren’t denying people straws if they ask, they’re just not putting them out there for you to grab. If you ask and they say no, just don’t eat there again.
hayhay Carbonated drinks aren’t easy on the lungs. If you’re trying to breathe, they’ll fuck it up. Juices are easier, but I agree, I find it difficult to drink whilst trying to breathe. Doesn’t mean I’m gonna use a straw, I’ll just hold my breath for two seconds to drink.
I work in a restaurant and stopped automatically putting straws in cups a few years ago. Not to shame anyone but because I was so tired of pulling them out of drains, sweeping them out of the back room, boxes being dropped on the floor, watching them roll around the patio, picking them out of the silverware bucket, cleaning them up from around the dumpster, finding them in my apron, in my washing machine etc. Not to mention the little balls of paper and plastic they come wrapped in being found in all the same places. Not as a shame to anyone or an environmental impact. I just got tired of dealing with them. If someone asks for one, I give it to them no questions asked. Disabled or not, if they want a straw, I go into the back and get them one. The fact is that the small things each individual person does to be "green" makes almost no difference. Seattle can ban straws all they want but the same bars and restaurants are still using resources to operate and to send to go orders and everything else. We won't make a difference unless we have enormous global change and that really isn't likely to happen.
Rachel Merrill thank you for your input. Because honestly, I don't think this is going to be a big deal in 5 years. We have already banned plastic bags in many cities and I never hear anyone talk about it anymore. Requesting accommodations can be a pain in the ass, but I think requesting a straw is not going to ruin anyone's day ( this coming from somebody with the dietary restriction where I have to ask for a billion accommodations everytime I go out to a restaurant).
I’m disabled and can unhinge my jaw so I like straws. I also wrote my dissertation for my degree (environmental science specialising in aquatics) on public perceptions of micro plastics. And one of my conclusions was that people think that plastics like straws and other disposable objects that are obvious. But in reality cigarette butts were a higher input into the ocean than straws and abandoned and lost fishing equipment was much much much higher input of plastic into the ocean. I also didn’t just get surveys from the UK responses came from South Africa the US, India all over the place. If I did my masters I really would like to expand on that train of though and that research.
I think the idea for resaurants to have both options would be the best solution. I'm an educator at a zoo, so I teach people about conservation issues like plastic and I always try to make it a point that it is about doing the best that we can.
“But why not use biodegradable and reusable?!” People...did you not watch the video? Lol like you only gotta watch about half of it to know why that doesn’t work...
@@kattgardner3975 No. There isn't one that is both affordable, positionable and hot liquid safe. Silicone isn't positionable, before you say anything. You can bend it, but it flops back to it's previous shape. Anything hard is out, and biodegradable straws aren't safe to 95°C, so can't be used with hot drinks.
Yaaaasss👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 omg all the time people are like 😱😱😱 you use plastic straws?! While holding their Starbucks coffee with a plastic lid, plastic "cap" in a hand with fake nails longer than my arms. For real, if I want to drink this beverage without spilling it all over myself with my shaky hands I NEED a straw so I can drink, take my meds and not die. You dont NEED a coffee with a plastic lid in your fake nail hands.
Maybe instead of straws this country could focus on bottle recycling schemes like in the rest of Europe? Or go back to glass bottles for some things where possible, invest more in biodegradable materials, reduce single use plastics in things that don’t need it e.g. uncut/unpeeled fruit? Straws just seem to be a way for people to feel better about themselves by thinking they’re contributing to sustainability when actually they’re changing a tiny aspect of their lifestyle, I know people who act like they’re eco warriors for recycling whilst still consuming a huge amount entirely unnecessarily, like Jessica says, there are far bigger things than straws to be offended by when it comes to plastic 😂
it's not that people are starting to be offended by plastic straws, but it's better for the enviroment since y'know plastic takes super long to breakdown, and they are starting to hurt turtles by getting logged in their noses. The alternative to plastic straws are paper, restauraunts are offering paper straws instead of plastic.
@@dragonbeast109 I do know all of that, but plastic straws may not need to be the main point of focus at this point in time, due to their necessity for disabled people like Jessica. I've seen horrible comments directed towards disable people for using them, by people who call for a total ban, whilst they're not considering other harmful forms of single use plastic themselves. Whilst straws are important to reduce, there are many other forms to, for example, sea turtles can eat plastic bags, confusing them with jellyfish, but we have not called for a total ban, just a reduction, so why not do that with straws and enable access to them for people who need it. 😊
so hi can't use plastic straws or drink from plastic bottles(at least the normal bottles you by in stores, he can only use some types of hard plastic drinkingbottles that he have to carry with him
Wow, this completely changed my perspective. I knew that some disabled people required straws to drink but I always thought that paper straws or reusable ones were equally as good as disposable plastic straws. Although I knew that disposable straws only created a small amount of pollution by themselves and large corporations are responsible for he majority of the damage, I thought that this campaign for removing plastic straws from restaurants and homes was a trend that was intended to spark inspiration for people to get rid of disposable plastic items from everyday life altogether, and the alternatives available would mean that there would be no negative impact on disabled people, just a small and easy thing that the everyday person can do to prove that they care about the environment. Clearly I was wrong and there’s far more to it than that. I also had no clue that places were outright banning plastic straws or fining people for having them, that seems extreme for a small issue like this. I hope that more places will give you the option of a plastic straw or a paper one so that disabled people don’t feel uncomfortable because of this
People have been working on all these different not plastics that act like plastic but are far more environmentally friendly, why don't we make bendy straws out of that stuff?
Very good informative video, thank you! I don't get why people don't inform themselves... when i heard about the ban the first time and read that alternatives don't work for most disabled people, i also thought 'but why? I don't understand'. But then i simply read more tweets about it and googled it and TADAA! 5 minutes later i was fully informed about all the problems involving the ban straw. It's so easy today to inform yourself instead of questioning the lives of other people and their problems.
Jahlee Su I never read or heard anything about disabled people being affected. The media coverage isn't equal everywhere. So I'm thankful for this video.:)
There's a brewing company in Florida that has developed biodegradable "plastic" for it's 6 packs. It's edible for sea life. There has to be a way to both use straws and not endanger our oceans. As you so eloquent put it, straws are a necessity for some people. I hope you don't mind if I share this video!
Mack Long many plastics and other materials could be recycled to a much greater extent anyway, whether that's plastics or rare metals, and she pointed out that biodegradable alternatives are hazardous because of allergies. Also become a choking hazard in hot liquids.
mel o I was just trying to say that in 2018, we should have already solved the plastic problem, because straws are a necessity not a luxury for some people.
Mack Long I agree with you. People act like these are the only options... of enough people want the perfect straw humans will make the perfect straw. Like you said it’s 2018
YES!! I love this video. I’m not disabled but I have worked with disabled individuals, straws save their lives!! They deserve to live their best life just like any abled person!! You’re so precious! Please keep making videos when you can!! 💞😌
The fact of the matter is that consumer-end plastics are so tiny in the grand scheme of things. Yes, we all need to be personally responsible - but there has to be an educated, informed limit. I think that the straw debate (of which I have been EMBROILED for months) is the ultimate in slacktivism. It becomes, "I can use my abled privilege to give up something which really isn't a big deal for me, thus allowing me to look down my nose at those who do not possess same-said privilege when they are not as virtuous as I myself am." I also think that they are ubiquitous enough that the holier-than-thou types get reminded multiple times a day how much better they are for the environment than those who are using straws. I literally had someone tell me that we needed to get behind the straw ban as a community because disabled folx will "be the first to die off if we keep poisoning the planet." Die off. He said that to me. With his words. Man....pit our lives against some cute marine reptiles and it does start to sound very Eugenics-esque. All I did was try to explain and amplify how difficult this is for some of us, and I became That Crippled Bitch Who Hates Sea Turtles with a quickness. I am so exhausted of this. I matter.
But it is where people start. I started there are now I have cloth pads. I NEVER thought I would get cloth pads and be searching for zero waste body washes and cleaning products.
@@wnterbird2976 and I think that is great. I fully cloth diapered my daughter, use only environmentally safe cleaning products, etc. I think personal responsibility is important, and landfills are an issue I consider and amplify on a regular basis. I also firmly believe that the toxins in plastic are harming us and are behind many many health issues, I literally hate plastic even though I am dependent on it in some ways as a disabled person. The issue is the HARM this is doing to the disabled community, and the fact that it is even MORE fucked up because in truth straws are not some huge rampant issue. They are a MINISCULE amout of the plastic produced, let alone ending up in the oceans. There was ONE SINGLE viral video of a sea turtle with a straw in its nose and suddenly straws are the bane of marine life....except the facts simply don't back that up. PLASTIC is a huge issue, absolutely. But straws simply aren't. It is slactivism at its finest - it is EASY for most people to forego straws. It makes them feel good for very little sacrifice. But the simple fact is that some of us NEED disposable plastic straws, and given how NOT an issue they are in the grand scheme of things, I believe that all this rage and disgust should go to pushing for better manufacturing and recycling tech. The VAST majority of litter, plastic waste, ocean contaminants, etc comes from big business and commercial fishing. Even if our straws are taken away it doesn't actually do much to benefit the oceans - so why harm us if it doesn't even help????
Kimmaline I absolutely agree. I personally feel that if someone can cut back or cut out certain things that can do harm from their lifestyle, they should be the ones to do so. I don't need a straw, so I won't grab one and I'll say 'no straw' if I'm at a bar or restaurant, but that doesn't require banning them when there's people who genuinely need them. Same goes for so many things - If you won't be terribly impacted by saying no, then say no, and if you need it then use it. Cut out the unnecessary use of certain things in whatever way is practicable and possible for you, let others do what they need to do, monitor yourself and always keep trying to do and be better, but understand that you are not everyone an not everyone has the same limits or abilities that you do. Take some fucking _personal responsibility_ for your own actions and the impact _you_ have and do what you can to reduce waste. How is that so hard for people to understand?? Ugh, Idk, straws aren't the bane of the natural world's existence, yeah sure less of them would be great, so how about if you don't need one you say so? But don't demonize and effectively just punish those who do need something you don't. You can make a difference with your own personal choices, so awareness is great but blanket bans are just going to target the most vulnerable among us, and I'm fucking _sure_ that that's not the intended goal here. Look into your own life and figure out ways you can personally be doing better before you look into someone else's and criticize them for not being able to do all the things you can. I don't use plastic straws or single use bags or similar - Great, that's one entire human lifetime less of unnecessary plastic waste. If everyone just did what they can do to reduce harm then we'd see a lot more personal responsibility in environmentalism than just random scapegoats that make people feel good for giving up something they never cared about to start with and let them revel in a false sense of superiority for making a 'sacrifice' that amounts to basically nothing to then personally but looks good on social media. Just... Mind your own and do the best you can, and let others do the same, it shouldn't be that goddamn hard 😒
It's amazing the amount of people that will actually say things like that to your face. (I won't even go into how many people online are _happy_ to say it) But many people refuse to believe that people say these things to disabled people unless they witness it- and sometimes even then, they'll insist it must have been a bad joke.
I think the best bet when it comes to restaurants, is just provide them when the customer asks for them, and don't otherwise. Sure, there will be able-bodied people who ask for a straw just because they fancy using a straw, but the vast majority won't and will just drink their drink as it is presented, therefore far less straws will be used and disabled people won't have to undergo questioning when they need them.
As someone who has had several bouts of debilitating nerve episodes that has spanned from a few days to a few months, I would have been at a loss without tools like the plastic bending straw. Instead of banning things like plastics, there needs to be more education about how to protect the enviroment. Also the idea of stewardship of the earth needs to be taken seriously by politicians and society at large. Let's not just get rid of things without really thinking about all who can be affected by a ban.
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