We use over 500 million plastic straws every day in America.  Most of these straws are unable to be recycled and many of them end up in the worlds oceans. According to recent research 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have plastic in their stomachs, which increases their mortality rate by a staggering 50%. 

If nothing is done, there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans by the year 2050. 

Seattle recently banned non-compostable plastic straws, and DC should do the same.