Where Plastic Straws Might End Up
AnimalCare 
Aug 20, 2015 
AnimalCare, NGOs 
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Please read this: http://www.care2.com/causes/researchers-pull-plastic-straw-out-of-sea-turtles-nose-in-heartbreaking-effort-to-help.html
At first, they thought the object in the turtle’s nose was a parasitic worm, but after cutting a piece off and examining it, they realize it’s a plastic straw as one very unimpressed sea turtle is seen sneezing and gasping through the effort.
They pulled the straw out:
After the ordeal, they disinfected the area and observed the turtle for a while before releasing him back into the ocean.
No one will ever know for sure how exactly the straw got in there, but the researchers theorize that the turtle may have eaten it at some point and gagged, or tried to throw it up – having somewhat similar anatomy to us when it comes to vomiting, it may have gotten lodged in his nasal cavity when he did.
For us to think about:
Just trying to imagine how painful and uncomfortable that must have been for this poor sea turtle who was left to suffer like that for who knows how long is a tough reminder about our use of plastic and single-use items like straws that we can easily live without.
It’s estimated that we go through 500,000 plastic strawsevery single day. Put end to end, they could circle the earth two and a half times. While we can work on better waste management systems and recycling programs, the fastest and easiest way to start making a difference is to change our habits.
As Robinson put it, “There is a solution and it lies in our own decisions. Please say no to all single-use plastic. Every plastic straw, plastic bag, or plastic bottle that ends up in the oceans could mean the difference between life or death for any number of marine animals.”
For people who really need straws to drink, or anyone looking for a reusable alternative, there are glass and stainless steel options that are easy to find.
It’s not just plastic straws, but also plastic bags (often mistaken as jelly fish) and many other trashed items. All kinds of tiny pieces of trash have been found inside the bodies of seabirds too.
The photo below may be disturbing…
Source: http://www.takepart.com/article/2012/08/28/plastic-waste-killing-birds-tens-thousands
Let’s reduce our trash. Think before we throw.
Recycle. Reuse. Reduce.
Source: https://myanimalcare.org/2015/08/20/where-plastic-straws-mig..
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