Stephanie Holmes: The last straws

Plastic rubbish. Photo / Supplied

Did you know this month is not only Dry July, but also Plastic Free July? Reducing the waste from single use plastics is a hot trend — and one which we should all be supporting. But first we need to make sure a collective desire to do better is not making life worse for parts of society.

Take plastic straws. They're terrible for the environment and difficult to recycle, which has lead to them being banned by cruise ship companies, fast food chains, and entire cities.
But disability advocates point out that for some people, drinking without a flexible straw is actually impossible. Instead of a total ban, they suggest there should be the option to opt in and ask for straws when strictly necessary.