In the media today, a new popular “trend” is emerging that calls for a ban on plastic straws. Participants encourage everyone to refuse plastic straws and instead bring their own reusable one. Many argue that since straws only make up less than 4% of the worlds plastic pollution, it is not what people should be focusing their attention on. While it is true straws are not the number one killer, it is still a way for an individual to make a difference. A very popular quote that is circulated throughout environmental platforms is “It’s just one straw, said 8 billion people.” This quote really puts things into perspective and causes an individual to think of the bigger picture they are playing a role in. Every little bit helps, even if it does not seem like it. For this reason, I would like to call on Ocean City to ban single-use plastic straws.
Today, there are many different alternatives to plastic straws that can be bought individually or in bulk. It is a small price to pay for the betterment of our environment. However, it is currently up to individual business owners to make that decision, and sadly many take the cheap and easy route. Without the option to purchase these harmful plastics, business owners will have to pursue greener practices. This would certainly anger many and seem unfair, which is a reasonable reaction. People typically do not like being forced to make purchases they cannot control when it comes to restaurant essentials. However, I believe Ocean City has every right to implement this ban, and if individuals are truly enraged I think that they should consider the infinite benefits that would come from a non-polluted world. By banning plastic straws on the island, Ocean City can drastically cut the amount of waste the city produces. Straws are not the only contributing factor to the worldwide plastic pollution problem, plastic bags are also extremely detrimental to the environment.
The deadly dangers that plastic bags present to our oceans should not be ignored. It is estimated that 500 billion plastic bags produced annually. This figure is completely absurd when considering that plastic bags:
- Are mistaken for food and ingested by sea turtles, which results in their slow and painful death
- Smother our coral reefs and other seabeds
- Require fossil fuels to be produced (millions of barrels of oil are used annually)
- Clog sewage drains, causing floods and runoff
- Take multiple decades to break down, and even then not completely (there are an estimated 51 trillion microplastics in our ocean)
This list could certainly go on, and each of these could be drawn out into harsher detail, but the clear reality is that plastic bags are not something we should continue producing and using in our everyday lives.
Somers Point, or what Ocean City residents refer to as “the mainland” is the city right before the bridge onto the island of OC. This past December Councilman Ron Meischker of Somers Point passed an ordinance that single-use plastic bags will receive taxation. Some people, like myself, were excited to see some real progressive movement in environmental conservation. Others were unhappy about the inconvenience. However, Meischker stood by his decision saying, “They are a danger to marine life, and they are in the marshes, in the water, in the osprey nests and trees. This is avoidable by curtailing the use of them.” This is a great start to the complete ban of these bags altogether. A big struggle of removing single-use plastic from the everyday world is the need for people to break routine. Once someone becomes set in their ways it is hard to convince them to change. By enacting this ordinance Somers Point is nudging its residents out of the routine of getting single-use bags at the store, in hopes to completely remove the need for them at all. These are the important ordinances that Ocean City must implement. It is time we follow our neighbors in the preliminary stages of removing these harmful products from our beautiful island.
Don't get me wrong, Ocean City still has plenty of pro-environmental efforts in place. There are many programs they have such as: recycling, regular beach clean-ups, dune protection, and environmental education. However, I think that there is so much more that can be done. I want Ocean City to be the best it possibly can, and to do this it must be more progressive in its environmental practices. It is no secret that single-use plastic is generally considered destructive and wasteful. However, it truly plays an essential role in our everyday lives. Getting rid of it completely in the near future is impossible, but the removal of certain items such as straws and plastic bags are attainable goals. I want Ocean City to take charge and be leaders in the reusable and biodegradable movement. There are already many beaches along the coast of New Jersey that have implemented taxes and bans. We are behind in these crucial environmental efforts. Not only do we need to catch up, but I want Ocean City to rise as a leader and continue to find new and innovative ways to protect our delicate ecosystem.
All in all, Ocean City truly is a beautiful place and I want it to remain this way for generations to come. No one can place blame on an individual or a town on the demise of our climate, but it takes a strong leader to acknowledge the problem and attempt to implement solutions. Ocean City needs to take charge of its own future by realizing it will be better without the harmful pollutants currently infecting it. I will continue to advocate for change and push our city to build a better and more sustainable future.
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