In the past year, society has started to take notice of a world-wide epidemic that is plaguing our oceans. This issue has been ongoing for decades, but only now are people starting to take action in order to save our coastlines and sea creatures. Now, what could be so horrible that it is considered life-threatening to our sea-life? The answer may be unexpected: Plastic

dolphin plastic bag at fernando de noronha

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Plastic (more specifically, single-use plastic) is something humans use every single day. It is used for grocery bags, takeout containers, cups, silverware...you name it. However, humans use these single-use plastic items without really thinking about the environmental effects of their actions. 

The material that makes up these single-use plastic items can take anywhere from 200 to 1,000 years to biodegrade. Thats a long time! Many of these plastic items sit in our landfills for hundreds of years, piling up with more and more plastic every single day. 

Unfortunately, a lot of this plastic doesn't even make it to the landfills and instead lands in our oceans. The plastic items that end up in our oceans can harm sea life in many ways. Some plastic can get tangled up around sea creatures and prevent their mobility, while other smaller plastics are often mistaken for food and end up in the stomachs of fish and other sea creatures. 

The modern beach photo by Dustan Woodhouse (@dwoodhouse) on Unsplash

Unsplash on Unsplash

Now, I bet you're wondering what you can do to help prevent this single-use plastic epidemic. One simple action anyone can take is to stop using plastic straws! Many cities across America have already taken action to ban plastic straws altogether. Large corporations, like Starbucks, are also planning to get rid of plastic straws in the next few years. However, a lot of people can't imagine life without using a straw, so I've provided 6 plastic straw alternatives that will help reduce single-use plastic waste in both our oceans and landfills. 

1. No Straw!

Drink, iced coffee, tropical and travel HD photo by Blake Wisz (@blakewisz) on Unsplash

Unsplash on Unsplash

Yep, that's right. Using no straw at all is the easiest and most beneficial way to help prevent plastic waste. At a restaurant, when ordering your drink, just simply ask the waiter to not supply you with a straw when they bring out your order. In other fast food establishments, you can ask the counter worker for no straw as well. Extra points if you ask for no lid! 

I've been straw-free for almost a year now, and it is hard at first to not instinctively grab for a straw at a fast-food restaurant when they are readily available to you. However, once you get in the habit of avoiding single-use plastic, you hardly ever reach for a straw anymore. 

2. Paper Straws

Amanda Arnone

Paper straws are popping up more and more these days since the plastic-straw bans have been occurring. What's great about these straws is that they are the most environmentally friendly! Paper straws start breaking down after about 3 days compared to the 200+ years for a plastic straw. This means that if they end up in our oceans, they will decompose quickly and not harm our sea life. However, it is still best to dispose of any type of straw in the proper manner instead of tossing it on the side of the road or into a body of water. Another added bonus of the paper straw is that it is compostable

Amanda Arnone

3. Reusable Plastic Straws

Amanda Arnone

Reusable plastic straws are the closest you are going to get to a single-use plastic straw. They are the same shape and size as a normal straw, but you are able to wash and reuse them over and over again. They are great for Starbucks cups, cocktails, or just about any drink you would want a straw with! They come in a variety of colors to add some flair to your drinks. 

Amanda Arnone

4. Silicone Straws

Amanda Arnone

Silicone straws are an awesome alternative to plastic straws. One major complaint of the reusable plastic straw is that it is too small for smoothies, boba tea, or milkshakes. No worries! The silicone straw is here to help. These straws are wider than the reusable plastic option, which means you can enjoy any type of thicker drink that may clog up a normal sized straw. They are also super bendable which helps for a smooth sip. 

The silicone straws I own are brightly colored, which I think is super cute! They also come with a thin wired brush to help you clean out the insides of your straw when you are finished with your drink. 

Amanda Arnone

5. Metal Straws

Amanda Arnone

Metal straws are a more durable option to the previous straws. They are sturdy and will never crack, bend, or break like normal straws. Like the reusable plastic straws, they are perfect for Starbucks cups or Tervis Tumblers. The metal straws I own came in the same pack as the silicone straws, which means the wire brush also fits inside to help clean up after drinking. 

Amanda Arnone

6. The Final Straw

Amanda Arnone

This is, by far, my favorite invention of all time. The Final Straw is a "Eco-Friendly, Collapsible, & Travel-Friendly Straw". This straw is able to fold up into a small container that you keep around your keychain. It is a little less than 3 inches long and includes a drying rack and cleaning squeegee inside the small container itself. 

Amanda Arnone

I bring my Final Straw with me EVERYWHERE. It is super portable, which avoids the hassle of taking my normal sized straws with me in my purse or backpack. With the Final Straw, I just attach it to my keychain, and it will always be with me. It barely weighs anything so I hardly notice it when I wear my lanyard around my neck. This invention has truly changed my life, and I do believe it will be the "Final Straw" that I ever use in my life. 

Amanda Arnone

Is This Really the Solution?

Recycle garbage bin logo photo by Gary Chan (@gary_at_unsplash) on Unsplash

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Many people often ask me "Why even bother not using straws? You won't make a difference." Maybe they are right. I am just one person out of billions of people on this Earth, so does cutting out straws actually make a difference? 

I truly believe it does. If you think about it...how many straws do you use in your lifetime? A lot. All of those straws end up in a landfill or the ocean and sit there for hundreds of years. If my small commitment prevents a single straw from ending up there, then I feel that I have made a difference. 

The solution only starts with straws. Once you have committed to eliminating single-use plastic straws from your life, try eliminating other sources of single-use waste. Bring reusable cloth bags to the grocery store, fill up a reusable water bottle, and avoid using paper or styrofoam plates at dinner. 

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is the saying we have all learned in school, but what they didn't teach us is the most important "R" word of all time... Refuse! Refuse single-use plastics and be committed to make a difference for our Earth. If we don't start now, future generations will be swimming in garbage rather than water. 

Honu Diving photo by Jakob Owens (@jakobowens1) on Unsplash

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So...How will you make a difference?