The problem with plastic straws is that we use them once and then throw them away. While they are convenient to help us drink down our juices and sodas, they can and often do end into our oceans after we discard them. And because in many ways they are the ultimate in single-use plastic, this is one throwaway item that we could absolutely do without, or replace with reusable straws instead or their paper counterparts.
Check out the following infographic from TRVST which highlights the problem as well as providing a bit of history.