President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 10 to stop the federal government from purchasing paper straws and to create a National Strategy to End the Use of Paper Straws.
The order reverses a law passed under the Biden administration that banned the use of single-use, non-biodegradable plastic straws in federal buildings and supported efforts to phase them out nationwide. Trump’s law is just one part of his broader efforts to pull back on American environmental policies. After his inauguration, he pulled the United States (U.S.) out of the Paris Agreement, an international treaty aimed at reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. His administration is also attempting to reduce funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by 65%.
Scientists have estimated that over half a billion straws are used daily in the U.S., leading to billions of discarded straws per year. Tara Krishnan, co-president of Carlmont’s Green Team, shared her viewpoint.
“Like many of Trump’s executive orders, it’s meant to get a reaction out of people and cause further divide at a time when we need to be united and work towards compromise. From an environmental perspective, it’s not that big of a deal because there are many non-paper and arguably better environmentally friendly straw alternatives out there, so this will hopefully encourage bamboo or other biodegradable straws to replace paper ones,” Krishnan said.
As the U.S. is already one of the countries that produces the most plastic waste globally, Trump’s law only stands to increase this number.
One of the main reasons that paper straws are often cited as a more environmentally friendly alternative to plastic is their decomposition rate. It is estimated that paper straws take two to six weeks to decompose fully, while plastics take more than 200 years.
However, both paper and plastic straws were found to contain significant levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs), more commonly known as forever chemicals. PFAs are typically used to make a product waterproof, stain-resistant, or non-stick, but they are difficult to destroy and can persist in an environment indefinitely. PFAs are dangerous because they are found in various consumables and don’t break down, so their levels only increase over time. They have been linked to a growing list of health issues, including thyroid diseases, higher cholesterol, impaired immune response, cancers, and others.
As a result, new types of straws, including silicone, stainless steel, bamboo, glass, and plant-based alternatives, are increasing in popularity as concerns over traditional straws increase. Many paper straws on the market specifically highlight that they were not manufactured with PFAs, acknowledging the significant health risks they pose.
Additionally, the Sequoia Union High School District Sustainability Committee Director, Kara Kim, shared her thoughts on the Executive Order.
“I couldn’t believe that someone would advocate for the use of single-use plastic straws and undo the change that environmentalists and other advocates had worked hard to implement. Since using reusables and shifting away from plastic is so common sense to me, the ban was a huge shock,” Kim said.
In addition to environmental justification, the Trump administration also provided economic justification, explaining how paper straws often cost more than plastic. Anila Ray, head of social media for Carlmont’s Model United Nations Club, discussed the political motivations of the law.
“I think Trump is using this as a performative action to show Democrats and liberals that they lost the election and he is the one with power, the power to change what they have done. This makes him an even bigger threat since he has immense power and the potential to undo initiatives that the nation and the globe have worked to implement,” Ray said.
Krishnan explained how many of Trump’s current actions focus on moving away from sustainable solutions that were set in motion relatively recently. Looking to the future, such actions will make it significantly harder to mitigate the effects of climate change in the future, especially as its effects are felt more intensely and more widespread.
“There are many estimations as to when the point of no return for climate change is, and it will likely be during our lifetimes if things don’t change quickly. The paper straw ban may seem insignificant, but considering how popular coffee shops and restaurants are, many of which use single-use straws, it could worsen the situation and give us less time to reverse the crisis,” Kim said.
