- Single-use plastic straws are one of the most common items found during beach cleanups around the world. The graphic below shows the top 10 items collected during the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup in 2017.
- Plastic Straws are generally used one time, then thrown away. Yet they are designed to last for decades!
- Single-use plastic straws are not recyclable in most places.
- Plastic comes from fossil fuels, an unsustainable resource.
- When they end up in our marine environment, they break up into smaller pieces and eventually become micro-plastics. At any time, this plastic litter can become an ingestion danger for marine animals.
- It’s not just plastic straws that we have to consider, all single-use plastics are a threat to our beaches, waterways and wildlife.
What can you do?
- Take the Keep It Beachy Clean pledge to Go Straw-Free!
- There are many reusable alternatives to single-use plastic straws, including glass, metal, bamboo and silicone. Find the reusable straw that is right for you and remember to take it with you!
- Many restaurants have a “Straws on Request” policy and/or are using a paper straw alternative.
- If you don’t need a straw, be sure to let your server know: “No Straw Please!”
- Encourage your favorite restaurant to switch to Straws on Request!