The ban of single-use plastics in North Carolina can help reduce the amount of non-biodegradable trash in our marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Objects such as plastic bags and micro-plastics, get swept into the ocean, having detrimental effects on our marine life. Furthermore, micro-plastics kill fish and can get into human skin, causing infections. Often, I see videos of people going out of their way to remove plastic cups and 6-pack rings from animals heads, which I find very upsetting. I recently traveled to New Zealand and was very much intrigued with how they have started to phase out the use of plastics in everyday life. Biodegradable bags are used in grocery stores; they use paper straws and even have compostable coffee lids! I have lived by the beach my entire life and witnessed the damaging effects of plastic pollution. Help me ban single use plastics in North Carolina!