'The Last Straw on the Great Barrier Reef'

Cairns, Australia — A marine biologist is waging a one-woman campaign against disposable polypropylene straws on the Great Barrier Reef.

Nicole Nash was working on the reef as a cruise attendant and a marine biologist, and was worried the reef's millions of visitors were unaware of their environmental impact and problems like coral bleaching.

Just over a year ago she launched a campaign called "The Last Straw on the Great Barrier Reef," which aims to get rid of disposable drinking straws used by businesses and commercial cruise vessels operating on and within a 125 mile radius of the reef.

Cairns-based Nash works full time in visitor management for the Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service, but in her lunch breaks, at weekends and after work, she visits cruise vessel operators, accommodation venues, tourist attractions and restaurants, asking them to sign a pledge to not supply PP straws.

So far, 15 food outlets; 114 cruise boats; 30 resorts and hotels; and eight tour companies have signed the pledge and display signage in their venues or on their ships to show they support Nash's campaign.

Nash estimates there are 450,000 fewer straws used annually from businesses that have signed the pledge so far.

Nash told Plastics News the "last straw" campaign is intended as a "conversation opener," a way to get people thinking about their environmental impacts.

She is passionate about protecting the reef and thought of the PP straw campaign as a gimmick to more broadly promote "plastic-free alternatives" and to encourage venue and vessel operators to "increase sustainability standards and eco-friendliness" in Queensland's tourism industry.

"Single-use plastic straws were a no brainer. People don't need a straw unless they have a disability," she said.

"Straws are something people don't think twice about using. They just get one in their drink and don't think about the environmental impacts and the fact the straw will outlive them."

There are alternatives, like paper straws, but her campaign theme is "sip don't suck."

The campaign uses social media and Nash's personal slogging around business owners to spread its message.

But she says there are hundreds of cruise companies, hotels and other companies she's yet to talk to about joining the campaign. "The hardest part is reaching out to them all to get them to join," Nash said.

She also wants to create educational materials that can be shown in schools and on cruise boats to promote protection for the reef and environmental awareness.

Last straw is affiliated with other environmental groups, like Citizens for the Great Barrier Reef, which has 380 members and campaigns on what it says are the reef's greatest threats, climate change and waste.

The Great Barrier Reef marine park stretches for more than 1,800 miles off the Queensland coast. It is visited by millions of tourists annually.