Changing mindsets to go green

THE taste of paper is unpleasant to me.

Yet I’ve been tasting it more often, as the number of food and beverage outlets using paper straws has increased.

“Do you happen to have a plastic straw?” I asked a waiter passing my table at dinner one time. He seemed taken aback by my request, and replied that the restaurant had only paper ones.

“It is to save the environment,” he added.

Is it really, though? After all, I had to discard two paper straws when they both became soggy after just five minutes of use each.

Plastic straws became a mainstay after mass production started around the 1960s. But fast-forward to the 21st century, and some groups are up in arms over their use, with several states in the US banning them.

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In Singapore, National Environment Agency data shows we produced over a million tonnes of plastic waste in 2022, but only 6 per cent of that was recycled. So any amount that we can reduce at source is good, right? And surely, reducing the use of plastic straws is a low-hanging fruit? 

Not the solution

But a paper straw is not the panacea.

For one, these pulpy tubes are not always as environmentally friendly as they’re made out to be. 

Neo Mei Lin, senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Tropical Marine Science Institute, and her colleague, research fellow Ashwini Suresh Kumar, say a common misconception is that paper straws are made only of paper. But they often also have a polymer coating or use chemicals that make them water-resistant (barely so, if you ask me). As a result, these paper straws are not easily degradable, creating additional environmental concerns.

Concurring, Professor Rajasekhar Balasubramanian from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at NUS’ College of Design and Engineering says both paper and plastic straws cause damage to the environment. “Paper straws do not produce such harmful by-products, but they are produced from cellulosic fibres derived from wood and trees. With continued large-scale production of paper straws, we deplete our natural resources.”

Another flaw in the fight against plastic straws is how it can potentially exclude those with different needs.

The march to go green is a progressive one, but it should be inclusive, too. Having a blanket ban can feel punitive for certain groups, such as the disabled and those with medical conditions.

A bendy, disposable plastic straw that does not disintegrate after a few hours – or even minutes – can be a lifesaver for someone who is bedridden. A friend of mine who had muscular dystrophy once shared that she struggled to use overly soft paper straws, and that her condition made it difficult for her to wash reusable straws, such as those made from metal or glass.

So, if paper straws aren’t the solution, what is?

Samuel Chng, who heads the Urban Psychology Lab at Singapore University of Technology and Design’s Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, says that while the issue is complex, making a change at both the individual and systemic levels is still crucial.

“This is a wicked problem and there are no easy solutions,” he says. “For example, we go ‘green’ but encourage overconsumption by buying more things than we need. So perhaps, it is a matter of us reducing consumption and adapting our lifestyles too, coupled with ‘going green’ measures.”

Similarly, for Dr Neo, it comes down to more thoughtful consumption and considering whether the things we use are really needed. “In the interest of pollution prevention, a pertinent question to ask is: Do we need to use any kind of straws?”

But making the switch to greener alternatives is just one step of the process. In a consumption-driven world, it can be difficult for some of us to set aside our hoarding tendencies. 

Take, for instance, reusable shopping bags. Bringing one along when shopping is a noble idea (and prudent, too, as supermarkets in Singapore will start charging for plastic bags come July).

It seems that reusable bags are distributed so freely that I am swimming in them at home – which makes me wonder just how environmentally friendly the switch will really be.

NUS’ Prof Balasubramanian says discipline is key when it comes to reducing consumption at the individual level. 

“As a consumer, I keep my reusable cotton tote bags and my wallet in the same location. If I forget to carry these bags, it would mean that I do not have my wallet either, so I cannot purchase my intended consumer products,” he explains.

“As the saying goes, old habits die hard. But with persistent efforts, we can certainly develop new environmentally friendly habits.”