Deer and straws. Connected, linked, intertwined. How?
Sofia/Seven Billion Today
It may seem strange but the two things are connected. They both came into my day through various channels and then I realised that they were definitely linked. The existence of one affects the other in this universe.
I was out last night and I ordered a gin and tonic. I am on holiday so I thought why not. The drink came with these ‘eco’ straws.. I was flabbergasted. I knew that plastic straws were dangerously devastating for the environment, as I had read it on 7 billion + other trusted news sites, but I didn’t actually think humanity would be so aware/willing to do something about it. Obviously, in some establishments, they have! A few bars and cafes I visited on my holiday provided me with eco straws or paper straws, which I think was a great added splash of happiness to my day. I felt grateful.
Then, I read on the news something horrible. Nine deer have died in Japan’s Nara Park over the last four months after swallowing plastic bags, a wildlife group says. The Nara Deer Preservation Foundation said they found huge masses of plastic bags and food wrappers in the stomachs of nine of the 14 deer that died between March and June. That would have undoubtedly included plastic straws. Those poor deer.
One deer was found to have over 4kg in their stomach. The Sika deer are classified as a national treasure, and so are protected by law. They are precious to Japan, the world, and me, a dear lover of deer (ha ha, oh dear).
These two things, they may not seem related but they are. Do you see how? Let’s keep using eco straws, use plastic bags less, definitely do not litter, be more environmentally friendly with your packaging and your life choices in general, and we can prevent further deaths of deer, and also many different forms of wildlife that we oh so terribly must preserve and protect, for the love and good of our planet.