By AFP - Agence France Presse
Trump criticizes paper straws and promises to 'go back to plastic'
Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump on Friday criticized the environmentally friendly paper straws promoted by his predecessor Joe Biden and promised that the United States would return to using plastic straws.
The move is the latest on green issues since he returned to power after pulling out of the Paris climate change agreement and ordering deregulations as part of a “drill, baby, drill” agenda.
On Thursday, the Republican administration also tried to block funding for a network of electric vehicle charging stations across the country, provoking fury from environmentalists.
Trump has promised to take action against paper straws, which are unpopular with many consumers but generate less plastic pollution.
“I will sign an executive order next week to end Biden's ridiculous push for paper straws, which don't work. BACK TO PLASTIC!” he said on social media.
Democrat Biden had announced a goal to eliminate single-use plastic utensils, such as straws, by 2035 in all government agencies.
The trend for paper straws has long irritated Trump.
“They want to ban straws. Has anyone tried those paper straws? They're not working very well,” he said during a campaign rally in the 2020 election against Biden.
“It disintegrates when you drink, and if you have a nice tie like this, you have no choice.”
Trump's campaign team has already sold branded plastic straws with the slogan: “Liberal paper straws don't work”.
The president, who calls climate change a hoax, also frequently targets electric vehicles, despite his close alliance with Tesla boss Elon Musk.
Stopping the roll-out of the $5 billion national electric vehicle charging network would be a major setback for efforts to reduce climate-changing emissions, according to environmental campaigners.
“The administration's move to block funding for a bipartisan effort to build our national electric vehicle charging network is a blatant and illegal power grab,” said the group Evergreen Action.
“This program is providing real benefits to all 50 states - creating jobs, boosting economic opportunity, and reducing pollution.”
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