The Vicious Cycle Animation - Say No to Plastic Straws

“The Vicious Cycle” is a story about a sea turtle facing its fate, after swallowing a plastic straw. The animation portrays how the power of a single straw can kill a wildlife creature. With time, the sea creature in the animation has decomposed in comparison to the immortal straw, which stayed in its same form and shape, conveying the message that plastics do not biodegrade, and hence affect the environment. The title of the animation “The Vicious Cycle” describes how the straw character was able to repeat history every time it had been released from the turtle’s remains, emphasizing the detrimental effects of plastics in the long run. The genre is a combination of both tragedy and irony.

The initial inspiration of the story came from a recent movement, a viral YouTube video that resonated with the world, showing researchers off the coast of Costa Rica rescuing an Olive Ridley sea turtle, after having a plastic straw embedded in its nostril. This issue interested me because of the relevance and the major movement it still has today, which inspired me to make this 2D animation around this environmental issue that we are challenging today and in the near future. The purpose of the animation is to help support the movement in the reduction of plastic consumption, especially plastic straws. The type of conflict in this animated film is Human versus the environment. This chosen theme demonstrates the cause and effect of human impact on the environment, where It explores a survival theme in which creatures under the sea are fighting for their lives.