There is something about a straw that makes a cold drink so much more enjoyable. Why is that, do you think? Is it because you can stir your drink to make sure all the ingredients have been mixed well? Or is it because your straw cuts through all the ice? Maybe it’s the gurgling noise it makes when you come to the end of your milkshake.

People have been using straws for thousands of years. It is believed that they were first used in about 2,600 BC. Clay jars were used then to hold a drink. In those days, many drinks had sediment at the bottom. No one wanted to drink that. Reeds from the river were used as straws.

Today, we use straws all the time. Before you use your next plastic straw, take a look at these facts:

1. 25,300,000 plastic straws are used every year in Europe;
2. 500 million plastic straws are used every day in the USA;
3. 79 per cent of straws end up in landfill;
4. Plastic straws are made from Polypropylene, which is not easy to recycle;
5. Plastic straws are the seventh most collected waste item found on beaches.

Before World War 2, paper straws were used. However, during the war, machines were developed to make plastic for the army and navy. Once the war came to an end, businessmen began using these machines to make plastic straws. At the same time, the idea of fast food began to spread across America and then Europe. Plastic straws were perfect for making soft drinks more fun. They were cheap, convenient, and easy to throw away.

It has been predicted that by the year 2050, there will be more plastic in our oceans than fish. It is very important to find ways to reduce our daily use of plastic. Plastic straws are one of the first things we can stop using. Why not use straws made from recyclable paper?

It has been predicted that by the year 2050, there will be more plastic in our oceans than fish. It is very important to find ways to reduce our daily use of plastic. Plastic straws are one of the first things we can stop using. Why not use straws made from recyclable paper?

When you next go to buy a drink that comes with a straw, why not make sure it’s a paper straw? To help restaurants to change their mind, we should insist that our drinks come with a paper, not plastic, straw. Let’s try and make sure that the 2050 prediction does not come true.

QUESTION:

VIDEO: Seattle in California, U.S.A. is fighting to get rid of straws altogether.

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