Read the article "Make a Change: Alternatives to Plastic Straws": Plastic is ruining the environment. Every year, 300 million tons of plastic are discarded in America, more than 8 million tons of which end up in the ocean. Over half of plastic waste is single-use plastic items such as bags, bottles, and food containers. Americans use 35 billion plastic water bottles a year. Similarly, over 1 million plastic bags are used every minute worldwide. These wasteful products are choking landfills and polluting waters. They should be, and can be, replaced with more environmentally friendly alternatives. A good example of a plastic item that should be replaced is the plastic straw. 500 million straws are used and discarded each year in America. That is enough straws to wrap around the whole of the Earth two-and-a-half times! Straws are, for the most part, completely unnecessary. Only a small number of people with certain medical conditions need straws for drinking. The rest of the population does not need straws. They simply have become accustomed to using them. Alternatives are available, but which one is best? Natural Alternatives Materials such as paper, straw, and bamboo are natural and biodegradable. They can also be used to make environmentally friendly drinking straws. Straws made from natural materials will decompose much more easily. They can be thrown in with food waste and composted. They are also relatively easy to find in stores and are inexpensive to buy. However, there are some drawbacks. Paper straws can quickly turn to mush when submerged in liquid. Likewise, drinking straws made from straw are not as strong as plastic and can tear easily. This makes both of these alternatives non-reusable. While bamboo is a more robust material, it too can only be reused a limited number of times. Bamboo must be responsibly sourced, as well, making it a more expensive option. Straw grass is similarly costly to use. Human-Made Alternatives Biodegradable plastics are now available and are used in many products, including straws. These plastics can decompose naturally in as little as 12 weeks. Unlike more natural alternatives, these straws look and feel the same as plastic straws. They are also stronger than natural products and can be easily mass-produced. Similar to natural straw alternatives, though, they are more expensive than plastic. They also must be disposed of properly (with food waste) or they will not fully decompose. Metal straws are another human-made alternative to plastic. Metal is very durable, which means that straws made from this material are long-lasting. They are more expensive to buy, but because they are reusable, they are actually cheaper in the long run. Glass straws are another alternative and offer many of the same benefits as metal straws. Both are dishwasher-safe and highly reusable. Unlike metal, however, glass can break easily, which is something that needs to be taken into account. Nevertheless, glass straws often feature unique designs that can be seen as works of art, which is a plus for some consumers. There are many alternatives to plastic straws currently on the market. While each one has its benefits and drawbacks, any of them would be a better choice than harmful plastic. On the other hand, going straw-less would be even better! How does the author's choice of words or phrases influence what the reader thinks about the topic in the article? The author uses phrases like "same benefits," "some drawbacks," and "many alternatives" to show while there are still positives and negatives to the alternatives, they are still better than plastic. The author uses phrases like "unique designs," "easily mass-produced," and "stronger than natural products" to show that plastic straws have many benefits compared to other materials. The author uses words like "drawbacks," "unlike," and "harmful" to create a negative feeling about the alternatives to making plastic straws, showing plastic is still the better option. The author uses words like "metal," "glass," "plastic," and "bamboo" to show the reader there is hope towards finding the best materials to use when producing straws.