Plastic straws are one of the many single-use plastics that litter beaches, pollute oceans and harm wildlife. To preserve natural resources and keep Florida’s environment free of pollutants, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection encourages Florida residents and visitors to reduce their plastic use and “Skip the Straw.”

  1. Plastic straws are among the TOP FIVE items collected at the beach. 
  2. About 90% of trash in the oceans is made up of plastic.
  3. 500 million straws are used in the U.S. every day, which is enough to fill 125 school buses. 
  4. In most places, plastic straws cannot be recycled. 
  5. Straws and other plastic harm sea life, including turtles, fish, and coral reefs. 
  6. Plastic trash pollutes most marine habitats, including deep seas, beaches, and rivers. 
  7. Every year, the U.S. uses enough straws to wrap around the world 2.5 times.
  8. About 90% of seabirds and 30% of turtle have plastics in their stomachs.
  9. Straws are easily carried away by the wind, ending up littering our beaches and in our oceans and waterways.
  10. Plastic breaks down into smaller pieces, but never fully goes away

Residents, schools and businesses can pledge to Skip the Straw for one week. If every person in Florida took this pledge, we could together reduce pollution from plastic straws by approximately 2.35 million. Challenge your friends now to help end single-use plastic pollution in Florida.

Here are some ways you can help:

  • Reduce your use of single-use plastics.
  • Pick up litter and properly dispose of it.
  • Participate in beach or river cleanups.
  • Ask your family and friends to SKIP THE STRAW!

Visit FloridaDEP.gov/SkipTheStraw for more information.

 

Photo Credit: Florida Department of Environmental Protection