By: Olivia Katz
One of the latest Internet trends is that of the “VSCO girl.” "VSCO girls" are often characterized as high school girls who wear messy buns, big t-shirts, Birkenstocks, shell necklaces, and use Hydroflasks and metal straws. However, these trendy girls are more than just a meme.
Their use of metal straws and Hydroflasks is due to their concern for turtles who die from choking on plastic, especially straws. Responses to their usage of simple solutions question whether fewer straws in the ocean will result in “saving” the turtles. While I do think small things help to contribute to larger-scale solutions, I too questioned how much these girls were actually doing to fix the problem of plastic piling up in our oceans (It is estimated that by the year 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean). Particularly, I wondered why the focus was on straws and not all plastics.
I, like many other concerned teenagers, consulted the Internet for answers to my many questions. I read an article in which Eric Goldstein from the Natural Resources Defense Council debated whether plastic straws help. He mentioned that they “represent our throwaway culture” and that they are “a first-class litter and pollution problem.” So, we know that straws are a problem. However, how are they different from other plastics that we, as a society, use on a daily basis?
Goldstein explained that straws are targeted for this “revolution” because of three reasons. First, they’re remotely easy to do without. Unlike other plastics, straws can be replaced or taken away without much consequence. Second, it’s almost impossible to recycle straws, so there isn’t much of an environmentally friendly alternative. Third, so many straws are thrown away every day (estimated hundreds of millions just in the United States). Goldstein also provided readers ways to contribute to the use of less plastic. His tips include just not using a straw when consuming a beverage, or buy reusable straws.
The use of plastic straws as the starting point for less plastic waste is good for another reason. If our goals of almost eliminating or eliminating plastic straws are achieved, it can be used as evidence that it is possible to use less plastic in general.
Overall, the plastic straw “controversy” teaches us who want to help with the issue of plastic pileup in the oceans that starting small is okay. Starting small is actually smart and necessary. "VSCO girls" may actually be onto something her
Works Cited
Camila García. "Will Shifting to Reusable Straws Really Make a Difference?" Natural Resources Defense Council, edited by Natural Resources Defense Council, 1 Aug. 2018, www.nrdc.org/stories/will-shifting-reusable-straws-really-make-difference. Accessed 21 Oct. 2019.