I would like to start off by giving a nice, warm shoutout to all of those people that like to comment on our environmental issues being bigger than just straws, and to all of those people who say that they singularly cannot make an impact.

My loving shoutout to you is this: you are only right if everyone thinks like you.

Yes, one person's use of straws declining does not directly effect how many straws we see in waste piles, but it can help. Because if every person tries to make a difference, it starts to add up. But if every person sits there and thinks that its not even worth a try then no one will do anything.

Even if I did not care about wildlife and our planet, my reusable straw is pretty dang cool. It is both metal and silicone. It collapses into a cute little container that fits in my purse or on a keychain. And it comes with a little squeegee cleaner. Maybe thats not the most exciting thing to you, but it think it is pretty cool.

Maybe I look weird to you pulling it out now, but I know multiple people who have tried to order one after seeing mine. And that is why your point about one person not being able to make a difference is invalid. Yeah, my single straw is only one compared to thousands, but if mine influences others who can influence even more people, then we are making a positive change.

So go ahead, sit there with the plastic straw knowing that you do not care enough to make a tiny effort to better the world around you. I'll be the one with the baby blue fancy straw, sitting there enjoying my beverage in good conscious.

And if you really do not think one straw changes things, try to watch this turtle without cringing.