Straw Pollution

Straw Pollution

In the U.S., 500 million straws are used every day and 8.3 billion of them end up in our ocean.

Although plastic straws are small and durable, they can injure and kill many marine animals like

sea birds, sea turtles, seals, and sea otters. Marine animals will often mistake plastic straws for

food and will eat them. More than 1 million sea birds choke from plastic straws every year!

Straws are something that we can live without. If you absolutely need to use a straw, use

stainless steel or bamboo straws that are reusable, instead.

California becomes the first state in the U.S. to ban plastic straws! The law bans sit-down

restaurants from serving their customers plastic straws. Unfortunately this law does not apply to

to-go cups or takeaway drinks.

How you can help:

1. Reduce your plastic straw dependency.

2. Bring your own reusable straw when getting drinks.

Plastic straw pollution video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nYIkv6uoQY

References:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2018/07/news-plastic-drinking-straw-history-

ban/

https://www.businessinsider.com/california-straw-ban-restaurants-what-you-need-to-know-2018-

9

https://www.greenmatters.com/p/how-plastic-straws-affect-ocean-turtles