That’s right, stop sucking.
We’re talking about plastic straws here.
Did you know, Americans use 500 million plastic straws a day?
An estimated amount of 8.5 billion of plastic straws is used in a year in the U.K.
Unbelievable? Well, you better believe it.
Plastic straws take up to 200 years to decompose and can’t be recycled most of the time because they are made of type 5 plastic, or better known as polypropylene. It is also the 11th most found plastic in the ocean, contributing to plastic pollution to the oceans.
Why do plastic straws take up to 200 years to decompose? It’s because they are a non-biodegradable material.
Biodegradable is when an object can naturally break down by bacteria or micro-organism, hence preventing pollution.
Plastic straws are always found in the ocean and have caused a lot of harm to marine life.
Watch this heartbreaking video of a turtle with a plastic straw up its nostril.
The turtle looked like it was in so much pain and as you can see, it started bleeding when the straw was being pulled out. This is just one turtle who was lucky enough to be found and rescued by humans. Humans who ironically are the ones causing this pain to the marine animals. Think of all the other animals in the ocean suffering from unimaginable pain due to our own ignorant doings.
So how can we start helping the environment? We can make a difference by starting small and early.
- When at a cafe or at a restaurant, politely decline when given a plastic straw.
- Encourage friends, family, colleagues, and everyone around you to start this motion as well.
- Approach and reach out to cafes or eateries to start a policy on only giving out straws upon request.
- Even better, have them create awareness to their patrons on why they’re not encouraging the use of straws.
- If really needed, opt for alternatives. There are bamboo straws that are natural and recyclable.
- Get a bamboo straw for yourself as well, bring it with you whenever you go out so you can use them.
Why choose bamboo?
- Bamboo is natural and definitely biodegradable. When you feel that your bamboo straw is too worn out and ready to be thrown away, it can be used for other uses.
- Bamboo is easy to clean and low maintenance. To clean, just soak it in soapy water and rinse.
- Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants, hence it is sustainable and it won’t cause any extinction to the plant.
- Bamboo is also cheap too!
So, what are you waiting for? A small gesture like this can go a long way. This is the first step in making our planet Earth better again. Help restore our planet and join this motion now.