It is estimated by the year 2050 that we will have more plastic than fish in our oceans by weight. 71% of seabirds and 30% of sea turtles have been found with plastics in their stomachs.

There are over 500,000,000 single-use plastic straws used every day in America alone, this is about 1 1/2 straws per person per day! These straws never decompose or disappear, they are stuck in landfills, or worse, in our oceans, forever.

Though straws never decompose, they do get broken into smaller pieces which fish, birds, turtles, whales, and many other creatures, end up accidentally eating or breathing in. This is a major issue considering that once ingested, marine life has a 50% mortality rate and entire ecosystems are being destroyed.

This is also extremely concerning for humans because, with all this plastic in the food chain, these toxins are being passed on to us in the food we eat.

To help combat this crisis, I am proposing that Michigan become a "strawless" state, outlawing the use of single-use, plastic straws. There are many, many alternative options on the market for reusable straws including: bamboo, glass, metal, paper, cardboard, compostable, and more. 

California and New York have already banned single-use, plastic straws in an effort to make a global impact, and I believe it is our moral responsibility to join them!