We’ve all heard the saying “It’s just one straw”, but the truth is, these little things really do add up. Straws are a major contributor to ocean plastic pollution and are virtually impossible to recycle. That’s why we’re calling for a “Strawpocalypse” to encourage people to turn down their next straw.

Artist Benjamin Von Wong and his team, with the help of Starbucks Vietnam and hundreds of volunteers, gathered 168,000 straws that they sorted by color to create a 10 foot tall art installation called “The Parting of the Plastic Sea.” None of the straws were purchased. Instead, they were collected from parks, lakes, sidewalks and other places where plastic should not be found.

The straws were organized by color to mimic the waves of the ocean, with clear plastic bags serving as support and diffusers for the LED lights. The result was breathtaking, as the waves of plastic came to life and revealed the hidden dangers of single-use plastics.

Even though this installation is made out of straws, it isn’t really about the straws themselves. Von Wong designed and created this work of art as a way to make people pay attention to the plastic problem that is threatening our oceans.

It’s time for a change, and it starts with small simple actions. By the year 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the sea. Will you join us in saying goodbye to plastic straws?