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New Years Resolution: Give Up Plastic Straws

Our oceans are riddled with waste and plastic that does not degrade over time. In fact, plastic breaks down into microscopic pieces that make it easy for ocean wildlife to consume which eventually makes its way back to our food systems.

One of the most found plastic items in the ocean are straws.

Americans throw away 500,000,000 plastic straws every day—that means 1 billion plastic straws every other day. How does it accumulate to this amount? At restaurants across the country straws are automatically placed in our drinks without our request. If we started to refuse plastic straws, we could reduce the waste that ends up in our landfills and oceans.

Make 2017 the year you give up plastic straws. Every year, commitments are made to become healthier, to lose weight, etc. Consider making a commitment to the environment by refusing to use plastic straws.

straw_free_new_yearsmReasons to give up plastic straws

  • 500,000,000 plastic straws are thrown away everyday.
  • Straws kill marine life. When straws end up in the ocean, they break down and ocean wildlife, like sea turtles will consume the plastic thinking it’s food. Marine animals can’t process plastic and can die from a stomach full of plastic.
  • There will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050.
  • Straws are one of the top 10 pieces of trash found at beach cleanups.
  • Straws are NOT recyclable. Straws have to been thrown away, which means they can eventually end up in the ocean.

How to give up plastic straws

  • Educate yourself on plastic pollution in the ocean (see helpful links below).
  • At a restaurant, order your drink with “no straw please.”
  • Invest in reusable straws such as bamboo, metal, or glass straws (you can buy bamboo straws at strawfree.org).

Helpful links: