MOLINE, IL – Greek-American Nicolina Pappas, a third-grader, founded Nicolina Turtle Company in November, in order to save her favorite animal, the sea turtle, Our Quad Cities reported.

Learning that plastic is a danger to sea life and her beloved sea turtles in particular, Pappas began selling metal drinking straws with pouches to help rid the world’s oceans and waterways of the plastic straws that are used once and thrown away.

“You have two choices if you order a straw you either get a metal straw and a pouch or a metal straw a pouch and cleaner,” said Pappas, Our Quad Cities reported.

“I thought it wasn’t even going to sell at any places, I thought we were going to give it to our friends that my parents and I know and no, that’s not what it is,” she said, Our Quad Cities reported.

While the straws and pouches are sold in the Quad Cities, a region of five cities in the U.S. states of Iowa and Illinois: Davenport and Bettendorf in southeastern Iowa, and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline in northwestern Illinois, they can also be purchased online, so orders have already been received from Alabama, Indiana, Ohio and Washington, DC, Our Quad Cities reported.

The effort has raised about $1,500 with all the proceeds going towards saving the sea turtles and also helping environmental organizations, Our Quad Cities reported.

“I send it to Living Lands & Waters Nabi Zoo, Nahant Marsh and the Botanical Center,” said Pappas, Our Quad Cities reported.

The straws and pouches are available on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolinasturtleco/?epa=SEARCH_BOX