Graphically, plotting straw thickness versus 𝑘 𝑑 , maps the tradeoffs in form and function versus degradation (Figure ). In this plot, lines drawn from the origin correspond to iso-lines of projected environmental lifetime. For example, the paper straws had a 𝑘 𝑑 about three times greater than the PHA straws, and the paper straws were about two times thicker, resulting in comparable projected lifetimes between the two types of products (Figure ). The shallower the slope of these iso-lines, the shorter the projected environmental lifetime. Thus, tradeoff plots can quickly indicate the effectiveness of a current and proposed straw design (the combination of material and form) for minimizing environmental persistence. The ideal thickness-material combination lies in the bottom right corner of Figure (minimizing thickness and maximizing 𝑘 𝑑 ). The foamed CDA straw moved toward this ideal by increasing the value of 𝑘 𝑑 for CDA without changing the thickness of the straw. Conversely, the effect of coating on the environmental lifetime of the paper straws becomes apparent. Coating increased a paper straw's thickness without a comparable increase in 𝑘 𝑑 , resulting in a longer project environmental lifetime for the coated paper straw compared to the uncoated paper straw. These results highlight that tradeoffs in material properties must be considered; material properties governing product dimensions and function should be assessed alongside the material's degradation rate. 17 Finally, while the flow-through seawater mesocosm alleviates concerns with static bottle incubations by continuously replenishing nutrients and microbial communities, the native consortium used in this study was derived from one location and temperature. Thus, the community structure reported herein should not be considered universal or translatable to other locations without confirmation. Implications. Despite the prevalence of drinking straws as marine debris, 3 their market capitalization is projected to grow by approximately 10 billion $USD in the next decade. In the face of this forecast growth, policies limiting or restricting the use of drinking straws or the materials for which they are made are becoming commonplace. Persistence is a key variable in regulatory frameworks; however, legislators lack robust data to inform decision-making. Overall, replacement products must retain functionality while achieving sustainability goals, which has been challenging for paper straws cast as solutions to plastic straws. Our study reports that many bioplastic straws are readily fouled and degraded by distinct microbial communities in the coastal ocean and, thus, are unlikely to persist and accumulate if leaked.