5 REASONS TO #STOPSUCKING [PIN GIVEAWAY]

Protecting the environment doesn’t have to be hard. Small lifestyle changes can add up to make a world of a difference if enough people commit to it. One example: the movement to end of our reliance on single-use plastic straws.

There’s a growing call to #stopsucking, and one of our favorite places, Nantucket, has joined the movement. This year, Nantucket is leading the charge on a straw ban across the island.

As we start packing for our trip to Nantucket for Figawi, we challenge you to join us in kicking the straw habit. On Instagram, post or story your strawless drink, tag @capeclasp and #stopsucking, and we will send you a free @capeclasp pin. All we ask is that you help us cover the shipping costs.

Check out these five reasons why you should #stopsucking:

1. Keep plastic out of the ocean:

Our addiction to straws is having lethal impacts on marine environments around the world. Americans toss more than 500 million plastic straws every day, and many end up in waterways, where they’re often consumed by unsuspecting animals. These straws make up a portion of the eight million tons of plastic that wind up in our oceans each year - that’s the equivalent of one garbage truck each minute!

Since straws are too small to be recycled, they’re sent to landfills where they break down into microplastics. These tiny pieces of plastic can them make their way into waterways, where they are ingested by fish, seabirds, and other marine animals, impacting the entire food chain.

2. Protect wildlife:

Once straws enter our waterways, many marine animals mistake them for prey and eat them. In 2015, a video of a sea turtle with a straw stuck in its nose went viral because it showed the harsh consequences of our plastic addiction.

By kicking the straw habit, you’ll keep additional plastic out of the ocean, keeping beaches cleaner and animals healthier.

3. Reduce your carbon footprint:

Plastics are made from non-renewable fossil fuels, meaning they contribute to climate change when burned. When you say “no thank you” to plastic straws, you’re lessening your carbon footprint. It may have a small impact on the total amount of carbon emissions we unleash each year, but every little bit helps, and you might start thinking twice about all of the other single-use plastics you toss on a daily basis.

4. You won’t miss it:

We’ve all heard the idea that it takes 21 days to break a habit, but breaking your straw addiction might not even take that long. In my experience, after a few days of drinking iced coffees and cold drinks sans-straw, I began to completely forget about the straw. Once you begin to break your habit of reaching for the straw, you won’t even remember why you needed it in the first place.

5. Support sustainable brands:

Can’t completely kick your straw habit? No worries - just try an eco-friendly version made from glass, paper, bamboo, or steel. These materials have less of an impact on the environment and are often reusable.