When it comes to fighting climate change, carbon dioxide often steals the spotlight. But have you ever heard of methane, the sneaky little sibling that’s packing an even bigger punch? While CO₂ gets all the fame, methane is actually 80 times more powerful at trapping heat in the atmosphere over 20 years. Shocking, right?!
This hidden danger is unfortunately linked to almost every stage of producing and decomposing materials made from fossil fuels. One of the biggest culprits in the single-use category is plastic straws. They not only contribute to environmental pollution in their physical form but also through their entire life cycle, from production to disposal.
Luckily, a green hero is stepping in to help curb this problem: plant-based products.
What’s the Deal with Methane Emissions?
Methane emissions come from various sources, but the biggest culprit is agriculture, particularly livestock farming. Cows, sheep, and other ruminant animals release methane during digestion (yes, burps and… other exits). Add in landfill waste and industrial processes, and you have a recipe for skyrocketing methane emissions.
According to the United Nations, livestock farming contributes around 32% of human-caused methane emissions, making the food industry one of the biggest methane generators on the planet.
How Plant-Based Products Can Cut Methane Emissions
Plant-based products are a game changer in this battle, and not just in the form of your oat milk latte or veggie burger.
Switching to plant-based utensils, and straws made from materials like sugarcane, coconut, or coffee grounds can drastically reduce the need for plastic, which means less plastic waste sitting in landfills, decomposing slowly and releasing methane.
Take EQUO’s sugarcane food containers or compostable straws, for example. Made entirely from plants, these products break down naturally in under a year without leaving behind harmful chemicals or microplastics. Unlike plastic or so-called biodegradable materials that often require special facilities to decompose.
Less plastic + more plants = less methane. Simple math, right?
The Hidden Methane Problem: Landfills
Plastic isn't just bad for the oceans, it’s clogging up landfills too. When organic waste like food scraps or paper products ends up in landfills without proper composting, it produces methane as it breaks down without oxygen.
By using compostable plant-based products like EQUO’s utensils or food containers, you’re not only saying no to plastic but also helping organic materials decompose the way nature intended without releasing methane into the atmosphere.
Why Every Choice Matters
Swapping out plastic straws or Styrofoam containers might feel like a small step, but when millions of people make that same choice, the impact adds up faster than a cow’s burp count (which is about 600 per day, by the way).
Every time you choose EQUO’s compostable straws or sugarcane containers, you're not just reducing plastic pollution, you're directly contributing to the fight against methane emissions.
Final Sip
Methane might be the undercover villain of climate change, but plant-based products are here to blow its cover. With small swaps like eco-friendly straws, utensils, and food packaging, we can all play a part in turning down the heat.
Ready to cut methane and plastic waste in one go? Check out EQUO’s full range of compostable plant-based products and let your everyday choices leave a greener mark on the planet.
