Home

Frequently Asked Questions

Submit your Thesis or Dissertation

Start a New Search

Search ETDs: Search Advanced Search

An environmental and cost comparison between polypropylene plastic drinking straws and a
"greener" alternative: An Oberlin case study
Moran, Madeline Elyse
ORCID® Identifier http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4464-8795

View Available File(s)

Permalink: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=oberlin1526393902586631

Year and Degree

2018, BA, Oberlin College, Environmental Studies.

Abstract
Plastic straws are one of the most abundant items found in oceans and coastal cleanups around the United States and internationally. Plastic does not decompose over time, so all
the plastic we have ever made is still around, affecting every ecosystem on the planet. Drinking straws are made of 100% recyclable material, but because of their small size most
recycling plants are not able to process them so they are sent to landfills. Petroleum-based plastic production is also a large source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, making up 1-
3% of the United States’ carbon emissions alone. By considering green alternatives to PP drinking straws, we can see if there actually are affordable alternatives that can help reduce
plastic waste and carbon emissions. This case study focuses on the Feve, a restaurant in the City of Oberlin, and aims to understand the cultural significance of drinking straws in
town, and uses that information to suggest ways of changing straw distribution behavior and minimize plastic waste. This study also compares the environmental and financial costs
of the Feve using petroleum-based polypropylene (PP) drinking straws versus “greener” alternatives by constructing a modified life cycle analysis to determine if switching to
biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) plastic drinking straws decreases the Feve’s carbon and plastic waste footprint. By tracing GHG emissions created in the production of plastic
resins, transportation of materials and products, and disposal of plastic straws, I compare the carbon footprint of three products to see if one is better for the environment than the
others. I hope this study can be used as a model to help other restaurants make plans to reduce their plastic waste and carbon footprint at an affordable cost.

...More

Committee
Cynthia McPherson Frantz (Committee Co-Chair)
Roger H. Laushman (Committee Co-Chair)

Pages
37 p.

Subject Headings
Business Costs; Climate Change; Comparative; Conservation; Energy; Environmental Economics; Environmental Education; Environmental Science; Environmental Studies; Gases;
History; Management; Marketing; Petroleum Production; Plastics; Polymers; Psychology; Sanitation; Social Psychology; Social Research; Sustainability; Transportation

Keywords
Drinking straws; greenhouse gas emissions; GHG; life cycle analysis; polylactic acid; PLA; polypropylene; PP

Recommended Citations Refworks Refworks RIS RIS Mendeley Mendeley

APA Citation

Moran, M. (2018). An environmental and cost comparison between polypropylene plastic drinking straws and a "greener" alternative: An Oberlin case study. (Electronic Thesis or
Dissertation). Retrieved from https://etd.ohiolink.edu/
 MLA Citation

Moran, Madeline. "An environmental and cost comparison between polypropylene plastic drinking straws and a "greener" alternative: An Oberlin case study." Electronic Thesis or
Dissertation. Oberlin College, 2018. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. 09 Aug 2019.

Chicago Citation

Moran, Madeline "An environmental and cost comparison between polypropylene plastic drinking straws and a "greener" alternative: An Oberlin case study." Electronic Thesis or
Dissertation. Oberlin College, 2018. https://etd.ohiolink.edu/

Files
Moran_ENVS Honors Thesis.pdf (850.66 KB) View | Download

Document number: oberlin1526393902586631

Download Count: 1,961

© 2018, some rights reserved. An environmental and cost comparison between polypropylene plastic drinking straws and a "greener" alternative: An Oberlin case study
by Madeline Elyse Moran is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at etd.ohiolink.edu.
This open access ETD is published by Oberlin College Honors Theses and OhioLINK.

Ohio Department of Higher Education STATE GOVERNMENT LINKS EDUCATION LINKS

25 South Front Street
Mike DeWine, Governor Ohio.gov Privacy Notice OH-TECH OSC eStudent Services OhioLINK OARnet
Columbus, Ohio 43215
OACC IUC OTTA ODE

release 1.9.0