Straws in the ocean are our fault
Lately, a lot of restaurants are pulling the plug on plastic straws, and many people are publicly pledging not to use them. The main reason for people and businesses ditching straws is that they have been ending up in the ocean and affect wildlife when they do.
I’ve watched straw-challenge videos on YouTube, where people realize how often they are presented with straws in their daily lives. I’ve seen the shocking videos of watching a straw being pulled out of a turtle’s nose and other videos depicting the damage straws can do to wildlife.
I wondered how straws actually get in the ocean, and, after a quick Google search, the most common answer was: “human error.”
I am not sure if I agree with the term “human error.” Maybe we could call it “human carelessness” or “human laziness.”
When I dug a little deeper in the “human error” explanation, the main reasons are people leaving beverages with straws on the beach, littered on the ground or blown out of garbage cans that were already overflowing.
So the straw isn’t the culprit in the situation. I understand that they are primarily one-time-use items. Even if they make it to the landfill, they are going to spend hundreds of years sitting there.
There are many ways we can all work together to be better to our environment. We should and could do a better job of choosing items made of more sustainable materials.
At a few coffee shops in town and at Fisherman’s Wharf I’ve received paper and cardboard straws. These will easily decompose.
There are also durable reusable straws that have a little cleaning device similar to a pipe cleaner. These types of straws come in glass, stainless steel and plastic. If these ended up in the ocean they could also cause problems to the wildlife, so we’re back at the “human error” again.
Last weekend, I pulled into a parking lot and in an empty stall was a pile of fast-food garbage, several bags of it. Within a 20-second walk there was an empty trash can. I don’t understand how someone can open their car door, push their trash onto the ground and drive away.
When I go to the movie theatre, I am always blown away at how many people leave their drink cups and popcorn bags at their seats as they leave. There are permanent garbage cans at the entrance to each movie theatre, and now staff wheel a large can right into the theatre as the movie ends. I can only think this is an in-your-face reminder to put your trash in the bin.
I’ve seen parents with several children all leave their garbage at the seat, expecting someone else to clean up after them. To me this is teaching the next generation how to make “human error.”
I know in a movie theatre, we don’t have to worry about the straws or any other garbage blowing away and landing in the ocean, but to me, it’s about responsibility. If people get used to just leaving their trash wherever it’s convenient for them, there are going to be more turtles with straws in their noses.
It would be silly for parents to teach the rule that when indoors leave your trash wherever, but if you’re near a beach, make sure it’s in a garbage can.
Think of community dumping, which occurs in every municipality in our region, and I am sure every other region, too. Couches, mattresses and more are just left on the side of the road. Often, this occurs on rural roads where people are less likely to see them. People don’t want to be seen dumping the items, because they know it’s wrong.
So instead of spending our time blaming straws for the problem, we have to look at ourselves. We have to ensure that when it is time to dispose of items, we do it carefully. If there is an overflowing garbage can at the beach, keep your trash with you until there is a better option.
Yes, we should consume less, ditch the one-time-use products and choose items made of sustainable materials. And let’s start taking ownership of “human error.”