"Eating plastic can be harmful – it can cause injury and contribute to starvation." - Kara Lavender Law, research professor of SEA.

On August 10, USA Today tweeted an infographic from 'Keep America Beautiful' that stated plastic straws were not even close to being one of the worst types of ocean litter.

The fight against plastic straws has become a huge movement recently. Ever since Starbucks mentioned they were getting rid of all plastic straws by 2020, the hype around plastic straws has been astounding.

The trend has caused much controversy and discussion. Some are arguing that it's unfair to ban plastic straws when there are people with disabilities that need them. Others are stoked that a major company is taking the first step to a more sustainable environment. But one concept, in particular, has made people take a step back from the anti-straw movement.

'Bloomberg Opinion' recently published an article that argued that only 0.03% of the ocean's plastic comes from straws. It was stated that plastic straws aren't really the problem, but other commercialized plastic pollution like fishing nets are. Other studies, too, have argued that plastic straws aren't the biggest problem and a focus should be made more on the major sources of pollution.

But to that I say, OF COURSE plastic straws aren't the worst type of litter in the ocean. Of course tiny, floatable straws aren't the only thing destroying our oceans. Of course there is more to be done. But that doesn't mean banning plastic straws is pointless.

The banning of plastic straws had made so many more people self-aware of their personal impact they have on the environment. Many individuals have made the slight switch of plastic straws to metal or paper. More and more people are thinking about how their own small actions can create positive change.

Plastic straws are the first step toward a more sustainable and healthy environment.

Maybe they don't make up all the plastic in the ocean, or even a half, but they are still apart of the problem. By lessening the use of plastic straws, we can create that first step to becoming a cleaner planet.

Starting small is the best we can do right now. But with that, we can start thinking of more ways to reduce all plastic litter.

The first step is straws. They have provided an awareness and need for more sustainable resources. They have started people thinking about what and how they consume. They have created a new age of a green and livable world.

So, start with straws.

It's a simple change that doesn't cause much hassle. Use metal or paper straws if you need them. But start with tiny changes to lessen the impact of litter in the oceans.

We only have one planet, and we need to start taking care of it.