Fort Lauderdale is a coastal town.  We have a gorgeous beach, and beautiful waterways where you can see lots of marine life, including manatees, sea turtles, dolphins, and fish. Plastic and polystyrene litter is harmful to these creatures.  

 Non-biodegradable, toxic food service materials such as plastic utensils, single-use plastic cups, polystyrene cups, and polystyrene take out containers are harmful to our ecosystem. Not only are the chemicals toxic for humans, but plastic breaks apart into tiny micro-plastics that will remain in the ocean forever.  Plastic is consumed by marine life and ends up in our food chain. We are consuming 40 pounds of plastic in our lifetime. These plastics are made from fossil fuels, so the fewer single-use plastics we use, the better it is for the planet.  Many cities are banning these harmful products already. This petition is asking that the city begin to immediately make an effort to inform the businesses on the beach about this ordinance, educate them about the importance of the ordinance (Surfrider can assist), and set a date for compliance.

This petition is asking for a timeline for enforcement.  We are sensitive to the fact that businesses will have to find a vendor that will offer eco-friendly items.  There are so many vendors available, and we are happy to assist in finding products.  Reusable products are best, and will save businesses money in the long run (including money saved by not giving a straw to every customer). 

The city of Miami Beach and Hollywood Beach have already begun their enforcement of their single-use plastic and polystyrene ordinance, and it is going well.  In Miami if a customer is given polystyrene, the customer can report the business on the city app, and code enforcement takes care of it.  If Miami Beach can enforce this, so can we.