It’s the great straw debate. One of the biggest polluters of our oceans is the plastic waste that kills 100,000 marine animals every year. It it estimated that there is five trillion pieces of plastic floating in the world’s oceans today, and the number is increasing by the day. If we don’t do something soon, there might even be more plastic in the oceans than fish by the year 2050.
One of the biggest contributors to this massive amount of plastic waste is single-use plastic straws. Each day in the United States, nearly 500 thousand plastic straws are used once and then thrown away. These discarded straws end up contributing to the deaths of huge amounts of marine life.
We’ve been told for years that the way we consume and discard plastic needs to change in order to save the planet. Fortunately for us (and the seabirds, sea turtles and other marine life being impacted), changes are being made.
Starbucks has banned plastic straws in many of its stores and hopes to completely replace them with recyclable strawless lids by 2020. American Airlines also announced that they will be eliminating plastic straws as well. The governor of California recently signed a bill that prohibits restaurants from providing straws unless a customer asks for them, and Seattle banned all plastic utensils in favor of compostable ones.
But rather than just banning the use of straws entirely—because let’s face it, some drinks just taste better with a straw—why not use a reusable straw?
That’s where Sand Cloud comes in.
Sand Cloud is a retailer centered around the fun, good vibes, and connection with nature that comes with going to the beach, but they’re socially conscious, too. They donate 10 percent of their net profits to foundations that preserve marine life. Their best products are their sand-resistant beach blankets and towels and (more importantly) their reusable straws.
In silver, gold, black, bronze and rainbow, Sand Cloud’s stainless steel straws are not only environmentally conscious, they’re an aesthetically pleasing accessory to any iced coffee, smoothie or milkshake.
They’re great for at home or on the go. And even better for lounging on the beach on a tie-dye, sand-resistant towel while staring out at the clean, blue ocean and thinking about all of the sea animals you’re helping to save.
Sand Cloud’s straws send the message that environmentally conscious doesn’t have to be a hassle (I mean, seriously, who like sipping out of Starbucks’ new “sippy cups?”). They believe that straws are a luxury, not a necessity—although that’s what we’re taught to think.
By buying and using a reusable straw in replace of the 38,000 reusable straws a person, on average, uses in their lifetime, you can help stop the influx of waste that’s killing marine life every day.
Sand Cloud’s straws are only $4 each (and $11 for a pack of three). While you’re at it: why not get a blanket, too? We promise, they’re worth it.