In case you didn’t know, plastic straws are for suckers. Every day we produce 500 million straws and guess where all of this plastic ends up? If you guessed the garbage you would only be partially correct. Only 15 percent of the plastics we produce are properly recycled so that means that 425 million straws make their way into landfills every day. From the landfill, most of these plastics eventually end up in our oceans and waterways.  Once in our oceans, straws (along with other plastic waste) have disastrous effects on marine life and ecosystems. According to a recent UN study, over 800 marine species are endangered because of plastic waste.

It takes thousands of years for one straw that was used straws for 10 minutes to break down. But, as we saw in the heartwrenching video where rescuers extracted a straw from the nostril of a sea turtle, we need to be worried about what happens to straws after they leave our lips and our lids. So what the heck are we still doing using these plastic straws?!? The good news is there is an easy little fix to this giant problem: reusable straws. Just be sure to slip one in your pocket every morning before you leave your house and you can save sea turtles a world of pain and save the world’s oceans at the same time.

Here are some affordable recommendations that will help you dispose of disposable straws in your life and #CrushPlastic!

1. SipWell Stainless Steel Drinking Straws

These stainless steel straws are 7-8 inches long and perfect for sipping. Plus, they are dishwasher safe (which will make your life much easier). You can get a set of four straws along with a cleaning brush for $6.95 – a small price to pay for saving the planet.

2. StrawGrace Handmade Glass Straws Clear Straight

These classy glass straws allow you to look at the pristine liquids you’ll be drinking with them so that you can be reminded of how pristine you’re keeping the oceans with your purchase.  They are nine inches of ergonomically engineered perfection. You can get a five pack of straws with two cleaning brushes for $10.95.

3. The Stainless Steel Drinking Set

This is the Rolls Royce of reusable straw sets. The set comes with 10 stainless steel straws, two cleaning brushes, and a lifetime of guilt-free sipping action. You can get this deluxe straw package for $10.95. Start sucking up to the environment.

Now that you’re armed with the knowledge and the proper tools – a reusable straw – you can start to save the oceans. Remember to bring your reusable straw with you when you leave your house so that if you do encounter a situation that requires sipping, you can do it responsibly. For more tips on how to live a more environmentally friendly life, join One Green Planet’s #CrushPlastic campaign.

Let’s #CrushPlastic! Click the graphic below for more information.