Have you ever heard the phrase “And I oop?” Chances are that it was either what society now calls a “vsco” girl. 

Proclaimed to be a movement saving the turtles, it seems the metal straws are still becoming toxic to oceanic life. 

This wrongly-labeled trend has started from the original photo editing app. This great idea has been taken over by teen girls wearing scrunchies, oversized shirts, drinking from Hydro Flasks, and the great users of TikTok.

The dances and countless phrases ran this trend off the tracks of greatness it could have become. W

While paper also seemed like a good option, and not as harmful, it doesn’t stay straight long enough. 

So why did the trend say plastic straws were best for the environment, Just don’t use a straw. It seems simple enough but when faced with the challenge of eating out anywhere, straws are normal.

On a normal day to day basis, it seems like the straws aren’t adding up. But 4% of the plastic in the ocean is just straws. 

Overall 2,000 tons of plastic straws go into the ocean every year. 

Astoundingly most sea creatures have 8% of their body-weight being the plastic they accidentally ingest. Which is equivalent to a woman having the weight of twins.

With the launch of this app in 2011, it’s a wonder this trend took so long to catch on. Maybe as humans, we finally thought of something else rather than ourselves or our small friend groups.

Or maybe we were scared of the rising global warming statics with all the plastic and chemical pollution we’re putting out every day now.

We are going to be on this planet for a while, I hope not to see it fall farther down the rabbit hole than it already.

The thing is change isn’t hard. Well in some cases it isn’t.

It takes a single person to grow a gigantic movement. 

Let’s say a company like McDonald’s and Starbucks, being some of the biggest chains in America, started offering compostable hay straws only when asked for. No plastic straws for an entire month just to see how much change it could bring.

If the vsco girls and boys truly want to save the turtles as they promote, they can bring change. But it takes a few brave souls to make a start.

This trend continues to promise change and brings a bit. When we look at the pollution numbers there isn’t a big enough dent. 

Vsco is not going to save the planet. Not that many people in the trend even care for ocean life. But there are many others who can unite to fulfill their failed promises 

So instead of having a trend be for nothing, let’s stop using straws. The turtles can be helped if the vsco community truly puts in the effort.

If you’re reading this I challenge you to go a month without a straw. If you go to a restaurant drink out of a cup and deny the straw. 

Let’s see if we can make the smallest change and get others to follow.