It's more fun drinking out of a straw. Your lipstick stays on, your teeth don't get stained, and the chance of spilling your drink all over you is drastically reduced (I know this one from experience).
However, we all know the negative impact our straw habit has on our oceans and wildlife.
Just like other single-use plastics, plastic straws have an incredibly short life-span before being discarded and ending up in our waterways, bushland, oceans and wildlife. The stats show that an estimated 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have been found with plastic in their stomachs. An animal will often mistake plastic straws for food and there is a high chance that they will either be suffocated or killed from ingesting the harmful plastic.
The amount of plastic straws being used everyday is disturbing. In the US alone, 500 million straws are used daily before being discarded. Not to mention plastic straws are also harmful for our health as they contain BPA, which has been linked to many chronic diseases and conditions.
Tips to stop using plastic straws for good!
- Every time you order a drink out, remember to add ' no straw please' to your order.
- Take your reusable straws out with you to cafes, bars and restaurants (don’t worry about the weird looks you may get – use it as an opportunity to educate someone)
- It is particularly easy to slip into old ways when travelling, so just remember to continue to ask for no straw or take your reusables with you. We are in the process of designing a carrier for GlassSippers so stay tuned!