breaking down president trump’s paper straw ban
For those that donât know, on February 10, 2025, the President signed an executive order on plastic straws. As he signed the order, President Trump stated, âI donât think plastic is going to affect a shark very much, as theyâre munching their way through the ocean,âÂ
This event follows Trumpâs announcement of the United Statesâ departure from the Paris Agreement. These events bring forth many questions and controversies. Especially since, during his first term, the Trump Administration repealed 98 environmental rules, regulations, and orders. In addition 14 reversals still in progress, totaling 112 environmental regulations dismantled altogether.
the controversy around these orders
Due to all these executive orders following each other back-to-back, much controversy has been raised regarding Trumpâs motives for these orders. Many are questioning if Trumpâs paper-straw ban stems from his shark phobia and thus is the motive for this new executive order. Uproar simultaneously surrounds this regulation, especially since there are many pressing national issues, such as school shootings and gun control, the health care system, income inequality and poverty, and racial inequality, that President Trump has yet to address. In an ostentatious display, Trump signed the order in front of the press, stating his grievances with paper straws and why they are thus, such an important problem of the utmost importance to him and his administration.
On Monday evening, President Donald Trump directed the federal government to stop purchasing paper straws and to stop supplying them in federal buildings.Â
âThese things donât work,â he said. âIâve had them many times, and on occasion, they break, they explode; if somethingâs hot, they donât last very long, like a matter of minutes, sometimes a matter of seconds. Itâs a ridiculous situation,â stated President Trump.
Many of us can understand this statement, as paper straws can be very troublesome. If youâve used paper straws, you know they do tend to get soggy fairly quickly, thus, making them unusable. This then brings in the concern for the chemicals that are used to coat paper straws and what long-term ingestion can do to an individual.
However, âI donât think plastic is going to affect a shark very much, as theyâre munching their way through the ocean,â couldnât be more of a false statement from President Trump.Â
Plastic levels in the ocean are a momentous problem. The presence of plastics is so common in the oceans, that sea life has started to use it as a resource. In principle, once a new resource, in this case plastic, is introduced to an environment or ecosystem, the whole system can get disrupted. Which, unfortunately, has happened in our oceans.Â
In time plastics can break down, but plastics don’t just disappear. In the ocean, they can starve animals through ingestion, being mistaken for food. Countless people have seen videos of various animals being dissected only to find plastic bits in the contents of their stomachs. The consumption of plastic by sharks is understudied. However, research on 28,687 large sharks, all caught between 1978 and 2000 showed that over the 23-year timespan, 60% of these sharks had plastic in their stomachs. It isnât just a problem for sharks that like to sink their teeth into the stuff, scientists found that filter-feeding sharks and mobulid rays are especially vulnerable to microplastic pollution. Ingestion is just one of many ways to die by plastic. Animals can become entwined in loops of plastic waste, making it difficult to properly swim, evade predators, ensnare food, or worse, make it so they ultimately drown. That same study, ranging between 1978 and 2000 found that 53 of those sharks had polypropylene strapping bands (plastic) wrapped around their body.
Plastic waste disposed of in our oceans is a problem for sharks as they âmunch their way through the ocean.â Plastic is an ongoing problem for all ocean life with devastating repercussions, and plastic straws are just a part of the problem.
While paper straws can be a nuisance, they are ultimately better for our environment as a whole. Paper straws are more sustainable. Theyâre biodegradable and thus reduce the long-lasting negative impact of plastic pollution. Although they may not offer the same durability as plastic, innovations in design and materials have improved paper straws, making them a viable alternative for most everyday uses. As consumers, businesses, and governments continue to make environmentally conscious choices, the adoption of alternatives like paper straws can help us move toward a healthier planet.
The Trump administration’s move to ban paper straws marks a significant shift in the debate over environmental policy and sustainability. Additionally, it brings into question what qualifies as a âsignificantâ national issue to Donald Trump, and the Trump Administration.