Many of us have a drawer full of reusable straws, but are reusable straws really good for the environment?
I know it’s happened to all of us – we sit down at a restaurant and reach for our reusable straws and it’s not there! Not only is our kitchen filled with reusable straws, but sometimes we don’t even remember to bring them with us! We purchase countless reusable straws because we want to help the environment, but are we doing more harm by overconsumption than good.
The plastic problem has made its way to headlines and social media in the last few years. It has impacted businesses, brands, and even personal lifestyle choices!
If you’re questioning are reusable straws really good for the environment and want to know how to remember your reusable straws, you’re in the right place!
Plastic Straws Environmental Impact
To understand whether reusable straws are really good for the environment, let’s first talk about plastic!
What is the plastic problem?
In 2018, plastic straws became the eco spotlight after industries, celebrities, and social media declared an end to single-use plastic straws.
Although the plastic problem has been known for decades, the issue became a public face and people still are talking about it! This is important because plastic single-use straws are only PART of the plastic problem and an even smaller part of our overall waste problem, but it’s a start.
Plastics are among the top ten most littered items in the world. This includes plastic bottles, plastic bags, and of course, straws.
Once straws are littered on the ground they almost ALWAYS end up in the ocean.
How does this impact you? I’m glad you asked.
By now, I think we all know plastics are made up of toxic chemicals. When these plastics are found on the ground and in the ocean, animals mistake them for food. Once they ingest this plastic, the toxins from the chemicals are not in that animal. And it passes on and on.
For example, when marine animals eat plastics in the ocean, we eat those marine animals. The toxins are transferring to us.
We have to keep in mind – how did the plastic get there. The answer? Us. We are responsible for the collection of plastic debris because of our dependence on convenience and packing.
The Garbage Patch
Have you heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? I’m not talking about the Cabbage Patch Kids here, I’m talking about a large patch of garbage floating in the pacific ocean.
To be specific, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a concentration of trash in the North Pacific Ocean.
It is the largest of five trash collection patches in the ocean.
Each year about 1 to 2 million tonnes of plastic trash are entering the ocean. The lighter trash (such as plastic straws) floats on the top. Over time the plastics break down into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics.
More specifically, a total of 1.8 trillion plastic pieces were estimated to be floating in the patch (The Ocean Cleanup).
How do reusable straws help the environment?
Let’s start simple. Let’s start by eliminating plastic straws and choosing reusable ones.
Simple Tips To Remember Your Reusable Straws
1. Pack straws in your car
This is a perfect way to make sure you have your reusable straw on the go! Grab a bag and fill it with straws to place in different places in your car. You can place these straws in the glove compartment, center console, or storage compartments in the back seat. This makes it easy to have your reusable straws if you make a run for fast food or coffee on the go.
2. Pack straws in your purse (or diaper bag)
As a busy mom if there’s one thing we don’t ever forget it’s our purse and/or our diaper bag. To make sure you remember your reusable straw, stash them in your purse or diaper bag! I create this on-the-go kit of reusable straws and utensils to make sure I always have my straws with me.
Here’s what my on-the-go reusable straw kit looks like:
Shop this picture here:
3. Leave them out on your counter
Out of sight, out of mind. We keep our straws out on the counter to remind us to use them!
4. Get in the habit of saying “no thank you”
We all remember the phrase “reduce, reuse, recycle”. Did you know that before you do these steps the first thing you should do is refuse? Learning to say no is important to reducing waste and lowering your impact on the environment.
5. BONUS TIP: Don’t forget your cleaning tool!
The plastic straw craze is not all that crazy. When you follow the trail and research the impact, you realize plastic in our oceans is a big deal.
Choosing to use your reusable straws instead of buying disposable plastic straws does have an impact on our environment! We can’t all do everything, but we can each do a little something.
I hope you enjoyed this post answering are reusable straws really good for the environment?
Tell me, what are your tips for remembering your reusable straws? What are your favorite kinds of reusable straws?
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