You might know of something called ‘plastic pollution’ โ it’s a really big thing that lots of people are talking about at the moment!
Plastic pollution is caused by lots of single-use items not being disposed of properly. That might be a plastic water bottle, a plastic cup, or straws.
When they’re not thrown away properly, they can end up in oceans where they take thousands of years to decompose.
That can lead to nasty scenes like this โ and some animals may even start to eat the rubbish, which can cause even more problems.
Some good news is that the government has just confirmed they’ll ban plastic straws in England from 2020.
It means that restaurants and cafes won’t be allowed to put straws in your drink unless you specifically ask for one.
Registered pharmacies โ places where you get medicine โ will be allowed to sell plastic straws still.
That’s because some people with disabilities might need them to be able to drink.
If you don’t want to wait until 2020, you can stop using straws today!
You can also swap to alternatives like glass, bamboo, or stainless steel straws.
Although they can be expensive to buy, they’re much better for the environment as you can clean them after each use and use them again and again and again!
Paper straws are also a good choice so long as you throw them away responsibly.
If you want to find out more about the environment and our affect on it, you should check out our A to Z of Food, Health and The Environment!
You can learn all about energy and the environment, how food is farmed, and get some great eco-tips!
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