Why Are Plastic Straws Harmful to Turtles?
A significant number of individuals are still uninformed of the devastating impact that plastic straws have on endangered sea creatures, particularly sea turtles, despite the fact that the globe is moving away from plastic straws and toward alternatives that are more environmentally friendly.
During the year 2015, a video on YouTube with the title "Sea Turtle with Straw up its Nostril —'NO' TO SINGLE-USE PLASTIC" quickly gained widespread attention (5). In the video, a sea turtle can be seen in a state of discomfort since it has a stem of plastic caught in its nose. (6) The #StopSucking campaign was launched as a direct result of this film, which ignited a global movement to eliminate the use of plastic straws.
It is common for sea turtles to confuse trash made of plastic with food, which can result in internal injuries and blockages in the digestive tract. Although plastic straws are a relatively little contributor to the wider pollution problem, they pose a serious threat to newborn turtles. Plastic straws can sometimes cause damage to the turtles' nasal passages, which makes them more prone to drowning (WWF, 2021).
In spite of the fact that the usage of plastic straws accounts for only a small portion of the overall pollution problem, the fact that they are lightweight, have a short lifespan, and are disposed of in a reckless manner makes them a significant environmental problem that requires immediate attention.
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