The Last Straw

Meet Sippy, the world's last plastic straw

Sippy, a plastic straw who was used once and then discarded, worries what will happen to him when he realizes he can't be recycled. As he flies, floats, and flutters around the planet, he meets animals who are struggling with the plastic problem. He chats with a raccoon with a six-pack ring around his neck, a cardinal whose nest is made entirely of junk, turtles who confuse grocery bags with food, a hermit crab forced to live in a plastic cap, and a startled duck who runs around with a chip bag on her head. Finally, Sippy is swallowed by a hungry whale who is dining on ocean trash! Just when all hope seems lost, he skyrockets to freedom and calls out "Together we can fix this! Let's clean our world--let's try!"

Parents and teachers of children 7 to 10 years old can use Sippy's colorful adventure--based on real examples of animals in our environment--to raise awareness about the impacts of plastics on nature and to teach children about alternatives to single-use plastics.

ZOE MATTHIESSEN is a self-taught artist who has received awards from the Society of Illustrators and American Illustration. Deeply frustrated by the impact of corporate and political chaos upon our environment and society, she dips her pen to address topics that impact us all such as plastic pollution, environmental deregulation, corporate greed, deforestation, and corrupt politicians. She contributes regularly to The American Bystander and to The Nation.

Recent exhibitions include "Seeing Nature Through Art" at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History (Oct-26 2019-June 30 2020), solo shows at The New Haven Lawn Club (April 30-June 30 2019), and Endicott College (Oct 2018-Jan 2019) and inclusion in the "Art As Witness: Political Graphics" exhibit at SVA Chelsea Gallery, in NYC.