It turns out the 2019 VSCO girls were right. Straws harm the planet and animals, including turtles. The ongoing war of whether to use plastic or paper straws has gone on for a long time as neither are the best options. Still, the two solutions are easy.
Plastic straws are non-biodegradable and last forever in our ecosystem. Paper straws are made from trees so the complete transition into them could lead to less oxygen in the atmosphere. Non reusable straws were originally not made with these effects in mind and their purpose was user-friendliness and convenience. Yet over the course of many years, its effects have become clear and the best solution comes into question.
The answer is to not use plastic or paper straws, but instead reusable ones. There are many types of reusable straws such as metal, glass, and silicone straws. The only difference is that they need to be washed after every use. Even though drinking would be a little more complicated in the present with them, life would be less convoluted in the future because of them.
There is also the solution to not use a straw at all. The need for lids and straws has been put on by society as normal, yet they are not necessary.
Now, two possible alternatives are introduced: to replace lids and straws with reusable ones or be in the absence of all. Yet, there are still two differentiating sides as it all comes down to what people are more willing to do. So even though the war between plastic and paper straws is over, the victor of the battle will remain undecided…
