Let's Talk Straws

During a five-year cleanup research project, about 7.5 million plastic straws were found on JUST the U.S. shorelines, "extrapolated globally, that is 437 million to 8.3 billion plastic straws on the world's coastlines," (Our Last Straw, 2021). Although many companies are coming out with straws that are compostable or recyclable, they are still turning up in our landfills which prevents them from getting the oxygen and sunlight which are both needed to break down. 

In order for people to understand innovations that are being created, we need to make straws easy and accessible to dispose of in all locations. Recycling plastic straws can cause harm to recycling equipment due to their size; however, if we could successfully recycle them, it still would take, "approximately 200 years for a plastic straw to decompose into smaller pieces," (Planet Protector, 2020).

To be successful in removing single-use plastics like straws, a little investment in alternatives will bring us one step closer to removing the straws from the coastlines. Bamboo straws are a lightweight alternative that is made from one of the Earth's most invasive plant species that can grow up to 35 inches a day. Metal is another, it can be carried with you, washed between uses, and come in a variety of styles, while paper straws are more single-use items, they decompose in roughly about forty-five to ninety days. 

Learning sustainable options and figuring out the best alternatives and sharing what works by effectively listening to others and truly understanding, are very important to be successful in this advocacy. We need to fight for change and sustainability to ensure the future of our marine life, our health, and our future generations to come! This week I challenge you to eliminate single-use straws for three days out of your seven-day week and share pictures of your cool alternatives with the hashtag #plasticiscancelled! 



Image Source

Earth 911. (2021). 9 Alternatives to Single-Use Plastic Straws. Retrieved from:

https://earth911.com/home-garden/straw-alternatives/. 

References

Our Last Straw. (2021). Facts and Figures. Retrieved from: 



Planet Protector. (2020). Plastic Straw Pollution Facts. Retrieved from: 


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