ABOUT US
We are two 11 year-old girls named Evie Wallis-Smith and Lexie Dennis and we recently found out how dreadful straws really are. We used to use straws without thinking about what damage we could cause. Watching a War On Waste video, we discovered about a 9 year-old girl named Molly Steer who has an organisation called Straw No More and she inspired us to fight alongside her. Here is a link to her organisation - https://strawnomore.org/
WE DECLARE WAR ON STRAWS!
Did you know that over 500 million plastic straws are purchased, used, and thrown away every day? It is estimated that 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have been found with plastic in their stomachs. Every year the UK use an estimated amount of 8.5 billion straws! Straws take roughly 200 years to break down.What's even more terrible is that once plastic straws are in the ocean they breaks down into even smaller pieces which are known as microplastics, rather than dissolving , and has a 57% chance of killing a marine animal.If you use a single straw and don't dispose of it correctly you could potentially kill a turtle, fish, sea bird, dolphin, shark ect. You could use paper straws that are recyclable but you still cause deforestation. That's why we are here. We are the Straw Soldiers and we fight to end this ever-lasting War On Straws.
WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO USE A PLASTIC STRAW?
There are some people who need a plastic straw to consume a drink or their food, and using a plastic straw is the easiest way to do so. These people may have a stroke, autism, MS or some other pyshical life changing issue that causes them to need to use plastic straws. We fully respect this and will always have straws on hand for this situation, although if you don't have any life changing issue, we'd prefer if you didn't use a straw.
The reality is most straws are unnecessary, and there are easy alternatives such as paper that can't be washed, (Paper straws still cause deforistation as they are made out of paper which comes from trees) metal or bamboo straws which can be easily washed… or just drink straight out of a cup!
15 (NOT SO) FUN FACTS ABOUT STRAWS
1. Last year the U.S.A. used an estimated amount of 390 million straws every day, and this year they use an estimated amount of 500 million plastic straws.
2. Plastic straws can never be recycled.
3. Most of the time there is an alternative between using a plastic straw such as a more eco-friendly straw.
4. Most fast food cafes use plastic straws.
5. It is estimated that between the age of 5 and 65 Americans use 3800 straws!
6. It takes roughly 200 years for a single plastic straw to break down but then, they have only broken down into tiny micro plastics that are even harder for marine life to see, but a lot easier to swallow.
7. Australians use an estimated amount of 10 million straws everyday which is 490000000 less than Americans!
8. Every day, in the U.K. 23 287 671 straws are used.
9. 8 351 000 000 straws are used each day worldwide.
10. 11 574 straws are used every second in the U.S.
11. If we don't start acting now, in 2050 there wiil be more rubbish than fish in the ocean!
12. The first piece of plastic you ever used is still in the ocean today.
13. Plastic straws are too slim and light to go through the recycling system so they end up in landfill.
14. Some people need to use straws to consume their food and drink.
15. 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles are found dead with plasic debri in there stomachs.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
To save our beautiful earth, when drinking a soft drink, iced tea, or simply your morning coffee, you can simply ask the cafe or restaurant to hold the straw. It's that easy! If you run a cafe, consider getting your company paper straws, or purchase bamboo or steel reusable straws. These straws are also great for using at home.
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