Can you guess how many straws are used and thrown out every day in the United States? According to the Last Plastic straw, 500 million. The US population is just over 300 million -- more than one straw for every person. As we try to find ways to reduce waste, organizations like Save our Shores and the Last Plastic Straw project are looking for solutions to the dramatically increasing use of plastic and disposable products.
In August 2015, a video showing the removal of a plastic straw from the nose of a sea turtle went viral. As of February 2017, the video has over 9.5 million views. Two years later, the video is still as painful and heart-wrenching as the first time I watched it. We don't often see the impacts of littering and waste. We hear how fish, sharks and dolphins are often tangled in discarded fishing nets. We hear how sea turtles and some fish suffocate from plastic bags, but we don't often see it.
The research team, led by Christine Figgener of Texas A&M University, were doing in-water research in Costa Rica when they found the turtle. At first, they thought it was suffering from a type of parasitic worm. When they investigated more closely, they realized it was a plastic drinking straw lodged in the poor turtle's nasal passage. The group of trained scientists decided to remove the straw, and a team member filmed the encounter.
According to the video description, the research team figured, "The turtle very likely ate the straw and regurgitated the straw where it ended up in the wrong passageway."
Warning: video contains graphic content that might be disturbing to some viewers.
Sadly, there isn't always a highly trained research team on standby to save the day. So, what can we do to help? Some restaurants and companies have committed to eliminating the use of plastic straws entirely. SeaWorld Entertainment banned straws from their theme parks years ago. You'll only find paper straws at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Paper, biodegradable straws are a popular solution for many waterfront restaurants and communities.
Miami Beach banned straws from beachfront hotels and restaurants in 2012. Other communities all across Florida have followed with similar ordinances and proposals in recent years.
There are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean, according to National Geographic. How would you feel if you came home to find all your neighbors dumping their trash in your front yard? Our oceans deserve better. Eliminating the use of plastic straws is an easy enough place to start.
If you can't stand to drink without one, there are plenty of reusable options, like these stainless steel straws, that are both eco-friendly and affordable.
Next time you're at a restaurant or bar and they offer you a plastic drinking straw -- politely say no thank you, because #strawssuck.
