From and For Our Oceans

BY KITTY CRINO PHOTOS BY PROVIDED

“I’m just one person. It’s just one plastic straw. My actions alone won’t make a difference,” said nearly 8 billion people across the globe. This mindset is the reason there are still over 10 million tons of plastic left floating in the oceans each year. In order to decrease this number, each and every person must take responsibility for their actions and live more conscientiously. Breaking habits such as buying a single-use plastic bottle may seem difficult, and adopting new habits like bringing one’s own to-go-cup to a favorite coffee shop may seem even harder. However, companies such as 4Ocean and Mermaid Straw have made these eco-friendly habits easily accessible and easy to adapt to. 4Ocean was founded in January 2017 with the mission to reduce plastic waste in our oceans. The company has fulltime cleanup crews working to clean the millions of tons of ocean plastic every single day. One of the first products 4Ocean produced were bracelets made of recycled materials. The company now offers a range of apparel items, beach gear, and single-use alternatives such as

“The purchase of each product equates to pulling one pound of trash from the ocean.”

stainless steel cups, reusable Ziploc bags, and, in a recent collaboration with FinalStraw, a collapsible stainless steel straw. All of these products are made from or in combination with recycled, organic, sustainable, and ethicallysourced materials. According to 4Ocean’s website, the purchase of each product equates to pulling one pound of trash from the ocean. 4Ocean also offers an option for customers to send any 4Ocean products that are no longer being used back to the company, and workers will repurpose or dispose of the products in the most sustainable way possible. Another company that has joined in on the stainless steel straw uprise is Mermaid Straws. This company offers a wide range of colorful, patterned stainless steel straws and accessories (yes, reusable straws have accessories), including colorful silicone comfort straw tips, and locally handmade, eco-friendly, patterned zipper pouches for storage. Mermaid Straws proudly uses compostable, zero plastic packaging, which alleviates some of the guilt that can come with the concerning amount of energy and resources required for an online product to

“Not only can anyone help save the planet, but they can do it fashionably and affordably.”

be shipped to one’s home. According to the company’s website, “We believe it is the company’s responsibility, not the consumers’, to be forward thinking and conscientious of the amount of waste that comes with each order and its impact on our environment.” The positive impact does not stop there. Mermaid Straws also has a cleanup crew that frequents 346 locations worldwide including 38 different countries. The company has also been featured in Forbes, Vogue, Reader’s Digest, and many other news outlets. Next time the server at a restaurant pulls a handful of straws out of their apron for the table, saying something as effortless as, “We don’t need straws today, thank you!” Can make a world of a difference. With this simple request, individuals can personally save an average of over 580 plastic straws from ending up in the oceans each year. Not only can anyone help save the planet, but they can do it fashionably and affordably. Support sustainable businesses such as these and Mother Nature will thank you.