The day I stopped using straws was day I saw a certain video of a turtle on Facebook. Turtles have always been one of my favorite animals, so I decided to click on the link to see what was going on. The people on the boat had pliers and were trying to pull something out of its nose. It was a hard video to watch because it was bleeding, making distress noises, and was clearly uncomfortable. At first, they thought it was a worm or some kind of parasite, but it wasn’t until after the object was dislodged that they all realized it was a straw.
After watching the video, I asked myself if straws were actually worth the pain they can (and do) inflict upon many animals. How can I say with confidence that it was not my straw in that video? How can you? It was not a risk that I was willing to take anymore so now I choose to go without them.
What are the impacts of straws?
According to Ocean Conservancy, 1.6 straws are used per person per day every day. Millions of straws end up as marine pollution and wash up on beaches all over the world.
It is believed that plastic can never completely decompose. Instead of breaking down into elements that can turn into something else, plastic just breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces that are known as “microplastics.” These are an issue because they are being absorbed by marine organisms (that then get ingested by humans), they are in our drinking water, they are found in grains of salt, and not enough research has been done on understanding what effects these are having on human health.
What can you do about this?
You can take Ocean Conservancy’s pledge to “Skip the Straw” whenever you can. By signing this pledge, you agree to not use straws when you are given an option. Sometimes at restaurants, your drink will come out with a straw already in it- but you can ask when you are ordering if they could please not give you one. Sometimes they will still give you one out of habit, but it is important to keep trying and not lose hope. Every straw you skip will add up and contribute to the overall cause.
You can encourage your friends and family to also stop using straws. I’ll be honest with you- they might make fun of you at first or call you a crazy hippy, but if you can get them to understand the major environmental impact they have versus the minor amount of convenience they provide you, then maybe they will also choose to reduce their usage.
I understand that some people have a strong affinity for straws, and some people such as kids that need lids on their beverages or those with disabilities may require them in order to drink their beverages and I do not want to be insensitive to that. Another alternative is to use more eco-friendly straws such as these paper ones, these plant-based, 100% biodegradable ones, these reusable glass ones, or even this foldable keychain straw.
If you are feeling adventurous, you can contact local businesses and ask if they would consider only giving people straws when they ask for them. Many restaurants have already done this either for the environmental cause, or because it saves them money. It is completely free to just bring your cup two inches closer to your face to drink and not use a straw. Ocean Conservancy provides a pre-written letter that you can present to businesses if you wish to do so.
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