Plastic straws and utensils have become one of the biggest polluters of the planet, washing up on beaches across the globe and contributing to the “plasticization” of our oceans.

It’s been determined that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish.

This petition aims to have the City of Austin take some responsibility for the future of our oceans by adopting an initiative to ban the use of plastic straws and utensils city-wide (similar to that enacted this year by the City of Seattle). As an alternative, businesses and restaurants would be encouraged to replace these plastic single-use items with ecologically sound alternatives of plant-based plastic or paper products made of 100% bio-degradable material.