When I go to the beach every summer, I am in awe of the magnificence of the ocean. But then I look around, and there is trash littered across the sand. It breaks my heart to see the discarded plastic of water bottles and straws everywhere. We need to step in and do something.

I have been doing some research for my own personal knowledge, and the more I read about saving the ocean, the less I want to use single-use plastics such as straws. Our oceans are FULL of micro-plastics that won't degrade for another 2,000 or so years... so that drink you finished in 10 minutes will impact the environment for a really long time. By 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than there will be fish! I am no scientist, but I think the use of plastic straws is bad, and I have personally stopped using them.

C'mon people, we NEED to stop using plastics. They don't degrade for years, they can be toxic, and fish or other aquatic life can swallow plastics floating in the water and die. All you need to do is be more conscious about what materials you use and then trash. Your drink will not taste any better because you used a straw. Of course, some people do need straws, but if you're someone who has to have a straw, try purchasing a metal straw that can be reused over and over.

We are all in this together! By stopping the use of single-use plastics, you are minimizing the plastic waste that goes into our oceans. It's simple.

Less ocean waste = better quality of life for fish = better quality of life for humans who depend on fish for food.

Refuse straws at restaurants. Don't ask for a straw at drive-ins. STOP USING STRAWS!!! Your future grandchildren will thank you.