Water Is Everything The Daily Drop Why Straws Suck

Why Straws Suck

November 12, 2018

With shocking videos of affected marine life and wide media coverage, single-use straws have become a topic everyone’s talking about. Approximately 500 million are used every day in the United States alone, and they significantly contribute to the global health crisis of plastic pollution. Straws wind up in our oceans due to human error when they are left on beaches, littered or blown out of overfilled trash cans, boats or cars.

Individuals can make an impact by refusing straws at restaurants and purchasing reusable options. Legislation is also making a big difference. Currently, over 15 cities have banned straws being provided unless requested, including Malibu, Seattle and Miami Beach. It is a global movement too, with countries from Great Britain to Taiwan taking a stand.

From For a Strawless Ocean, here are some important facts:

• In the U.S., we use enough straws every day to circle the Earth 2.5 times
• Straws are one of the most commonly found items during beach cleanups
• Recycling straws is not possible in most places
• Straws are too lightweight to be caught in mechanical recycling sorters
• It takes up to 200 years for a plastic straw to decompose
• One million seabirds and 100,000 marine animals die from ingesting plastic annually
• Thirty percent of turtles have plastic in their stomachs