Stretch your selfie-taking arm and choose your favorite filter. This month you can receive a free reusable straw for posting a picture with the hashtag #PledgeAgainstPlasticStraws.

Drury’s environmental awareness group, Think Green!, entered the university into the 2018 Campus Challenge sponsored by Simply Straws. During the month of April, students, faculty and community members can raise awareness about the harmful effects of plastic pollution with the touch of a few buttons.

Maclen Johnson, the social media manager of Think Green!, explained the purpose of the challenge.

“The Simply Straws challenge provides a reusable option for free as long as people make the pledge. It’s an awesome opportunity to make an impact and take a step forward in getting rid of plastic straws,” said Johnson.

Several high schools and colleges across the United States have taken up the challenge, including Drury’s neighbor, Missouri State University.

The high school and college with the most pledges will each receive 100 custom made glass straws. Each straw will have their school’s name etched on the glass.

According to Simply Straws, the average American uses 1 1/2 straws a day. The organization also states that the amount of discarded plastic straws could fill up Yankee Stadium nine times per year. However, if one person refuses to use plastic straws, they could stop up to 30,000 straws from being discarded within their lifetime.

Some Drury students, like senior Makayla Jordan-Diemler, are already reducing their personal waste. Jordan-Diemler has been using reusable straws for a few years, and she hasn’t regretted her decision to make the switch from plastic.

“I started using reusable straws after I went waste-free about two years ago and looked at all of the wasteful products in my life that I could replace. I started with my fridge, then my shopping, then started on convenience items that typically came with just living life. It’s just impossible to ask for your own cup everywhere, so I wanted to minimize my plastic usage as much as possible by denying straws,” said Jordan-Diemler.

Plastic straws have become a staple in many people’s lives because many restaurants, fast food chains and convenience stores supply them. Our use of plastic straws may have negative effects on the world in which we live.

“I could spend days going over why waste contributes to the crowding of our Earth and climate change, but suffice it to say that disposable plastic usage isn’t sustainable for you or for me,” she said.

Johnson agreed, explaining why she chose to stop using plastic straws.

“They’re harmful to the marine environment and aren’t recyclable, so they just go to landfills,” said Johnson.

Jordan-Diemler explained that another benefit of using reusable straws is that they are cheaper than buying plastic straws for use at home.

“They’re convenient if you forget to grab one from the restaurant, and they provide an awesome opportunity to educate your friends and family on being waste-free,” said Jordan-Diemler.

To make your pledge, go to the Simply Straws website and select Find Your Campus under Campus Challenge. Then, click on Drury University, or go directly to the page with www.simplystraws.com/pages/Drury/. If you post a photo to your Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts using #PledgeAgainstPlasticStraws, you unlock an $8 coupon, which is equal the price of one glass straw from Simply Straws.

Participants do not have to be Drury students. They just have to pledge on Drury’s page if they want their pledge to count toward Drury’s total.

The challenge ends on April 30.

Article written by Taylor Stanton