What's The Deal With Straws?
It's 2020. Yay! A new decade! 2019 has already been a big year, especially for those who are passionate about the environment. Even 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg (who I mentioned in my last post) was named Time Magazine's 2019 Person of The Year (take that, politicians).
Greta isn't just the voice of the younger generation, but older generations too. Through the climate strikes that she has started, millions of people have came together to stand with Greta, spreading her message on the future of our planet globally.
In my last post, I mentioned that one of the things we can do to stop this climate chaos is to balance and restore the carbon cycle. Another thing has something to do with an essential life source: our oceans. Water does more than just hydrate us and regulate our temperature (not to mention making our lives more fun). It also helps nourish aquatic life, some of the most precious life we have.
Picture this: you go to eat out at McDonalds, and order a smoothie. That smoothie comes with a straw, made of plastic. You were raised in a culture of plastic extravagancy, but you easily believe that plastics can be recycled to make something new. However, that isn't true for the plastic used to make the straw used to drink the smoothie. You just throw it out. Gone. What you don't know though is that the straw you threw out is dumped into the ocean where all these precious creatures exist. These creatures get stuck and trapped in the wasted plastic. Why should we care that these creatures could get trapped? Because they don't deserve to be harmed by human activity. Otherwise, they could die.
For the past while, we have made a big deal about the use of plastic straws. Indeed, we have a made an even bigger deal about plastic straws since a video went viral of a turtle with a plastic straw stuck up its nostril. The process of pulling the straw out of the turtle's nose was...disturbing.
Because of this plastic-in-the-ocean frenzy, one of my resolutions for 2020 is to not use straws, but it's not the only reason. Unless you are physically disabled, straws are not to be used. Just lift your cup, and sip from it, it's not that hard. Or so I thought.
Yesterday, on the last day of 2019, I went to Starbucks and ordered my favourite drink: a double chocolatey-chip frappuccino. Then, I challenged myself: drink it without a straw. So I did, but it took longer than I thought. Trying to sip it, while reaching for the whipped cream and chocolate stuff was a struggle. I didn't finish it at all, but I got through the majority.
Today, I don't want to be alone with this, so I want to start a movement. I am asking anyone, and I mean, anyone who sees this post to stop using straws. If you don't need to, you don't have to. Together we can reduce our carbon footprint, and make this planet a better place to live. After all, if the entire population jumped, we can shift the world. Are you ready to make a difference?
"Change is on the horizon, but to see that change, we have to change ourselves." ~ Greta Thunberg
Coming soon: my first blog series: "Neil Pasricha: The Author of Awesome". In it, I will discuss stories and concepts presented in the book "You Are Awesome" by Neil Pasricha. It's a great book! Find it online or at your nearest bookstore.
Greta isn't just the voice of the younger generation, but older generations too. Through the climate strikes that she has started, millions of people have came together to stand with Greta, spreading her message on the future of our planet globally.
In my last post, I mentioned that one of the things we can do to stop this climate chaos is to balance and restore the carbon cycle. Another thing has something to do with an essential life source: our oceans. Water does more than just hydrate us and regulate our temperature (not to mention making our lives more fun). It also helps nourish aquatic life, some of the most precious life we have.
Picture this: you go to eat out at McDonalds, and order a smoothie. That smoothie comes with a straw, made of plastic. You were raised in a culture of plastic extravagancy, but you easily believe that plastics can be recycled to make something new. However, that isn't true for the plastic used to make the straw used to drink the smoothie. You just throw it out. Gone. What you don't know though is that the straw you threw out is dumped into the ocean where all these precious creatures exist. These creatures get stuck and trapped in the wasted plastic. Why should we care that these creatures could get trapped? Because they don't deserve to be harmed by human activity. Otherwise, they could die.
For the past while, we have made a big deal about the use of plastic straws. Indeed, we have a made an even bigger deal about plastic straws since a video went viral of a turtle with a plastic straw stuck up its nostril. The process of pulling the straw out of the turtle's nose was...disturbing.
Because of this plastic-in-the-ocean frenzy, one of my resolutions for 2020 is to not use straws, but it's not the only reason. Unless you are physically disabled, straws are not to be used. Just lift your cup, and sip from it, it's not that hard. Or so I thought.
Yesterday, on the last day of 2019, I went to Starbucks and ordered my favourite drink: a double chocolatey-chip frappuccino. Then, I challenged myself: drink it without a straw. So I did, but it took longer than I thought. Trying to sip it, while reaching for the whipped cream and chocolate stuff was a struggle. I didn't finish it at all, but I got through the majority.
Today, I don't want to be alone with this, so I want to start a movement. I am asking anyone, and I mean, anyone who sees this post to stop using straws. If you don't need to, you don't have to. Together we can reduce our carbon footprint, and make this planet a better place to live. After all, if the entire population jumped, we can shift the world. Are you ready to make a difference?
"Change is on the horizon, but to see that change, we have to change ourselves." ~ Greta Thunberg
Coming soon: my first blog series: "Neil Pasricha: The Author of Awesome". In it, I will discuss stories and concepts presented in the book "You Are Awesome" by Neil Pasricha. It's a great book! Find it online or at your nearest bookstore.
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