EASY ACTION
MINI CHALLENGE
There are millions of tons of plastic debris floating around in our oceans.
This creates a serious danger to marine life. Animals can get tangled up
in this trash or accidentally eat it—usually because they mistake it as
prey. Plastic is non-biodegradable which means it stays in the ocean for
over a thousand years. The problem doesn’t come just from people who
live near the ocean. Around 80 percent of marine litter comes from on
land—some swept in from the coastline or carried through rivers from
the streets during heavy rain via storm drains and sewer overflows.
So the best thing we can do to protect our waterways is try to keep as
much plastic as possible out of our garbage at home. The good news? There
are many small ways you can have a BIG impact. We’re going to start with
straws. The truth about them is that they are completely non-essential.
They’ve become an unnecessary convenience to people and they do
serious harm to sea animals. They are something we can easily do without.
THE CHALLENGE:
T H E L A ST ST R AW
To participate in the Last Straw Challenge, simply request “no straw”
at restaurants and at home and share your commitment with others.
Encourage your friends and family to do the same by posting a family
selfie on social media. Tell them about your commitment to The Last
Straw and ask them to follow your lead! Ask them to partner with
you to DO LESS: less consumption, less waste, less straws. It’s a winwin! Hashtag #globalguardianproject and set your post to public
on Facebook to share with all. Each month we’ll highlight a Global
Guardian who has committed to the challenge. It could be your family!
Mini challenges are great for families steps because it’s easy to build
on them. This week you’ll start with straws, then next week you
can add plastic silverware, then eventually you and your family will
become plastic free! Small acts really can change the world.
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