\nA Simple Wish for a Better Tomorrow<\/span><\/h2>\n
Skip the Straw on Feb. 28!<\/h4>\n
With so many challenges facing the environment, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and think \u201cwhat difference do I make?\u201d But did you know that making simple changes in your everyday life can make a difference? New York State is home to over 19 million people, and our small changes add up. Feb. 28 is National Skip the Straw Day. While a single plastic straw seems small and insignificant, single-use plastics like straws can really add up when millions of people use them and throw them away every day. You can help reduce waste, prevent pollution, conserve natural resources and fight climate change every time you skip a single-use plastic straw or any single-use plastic<\/strong>. And that\u2019s no small thing!<\/p>\n It’s just a little straw, what’s the big deal?<\/strong><\/em> How can you get started?<\/strong><\/em>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chronicle.hvcc.edu\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/skip-the-straw.jpg\")
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\nMost recycling facilities don’t have systems in place to effectively capture and recycle straws. (Check with your local recycling coordinator or recycling hauler to find out if plastic straws are accepted in your local program.) They litter our environment. Plastic straws currently rank #3 in the top 10 items found on International Coastal Cleanup Day, meaning they can harm fish, wildlife, ecosystems, and the beauty of our communities and natural spaces. They aren’t sustainable. Simply put, single-use plastics are not a sustainable option and we should be looking to reduce single-use plastics in our day to day lives when we can.<\/p>\n
\nForm new habits:
\nLet your cashier or waitstaff know you don\u2019t need a straw with your drink. Or don\u2019t pick one up at a self-serve beverage area. Suggest your favorite restaurants adopt an “ask first” policy where customers are not given a straw unless they ask for one.
\nGo reusable:
\nIf you need to use a straw, try a reusable straw you can bring on the go.
\nVolunteer:
\nSign up for (or organize!) a litter clean up in your community to see the impacts of single-use plastics first hand.
\nReduce other single use plastics:
\nAfter you become comfortable with one small act to reduce single-use plastics, try another! It’s a fun way to challenge yourself while helping to reduce waste.<\/p>\n
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