Our city should take part in a growing movement. We should ban plastic drinking straws. No other plastic causes the problems that straws do.

  Ocean plastic is a huge problem. Plastic breaks down in the ocean. However, it does not break down completely. Plastic particles end up in our drinking water. They also end up in the seafood we eat. However, straws cause even more problems. They are accidently eaten by sea birds, turtles, and other sea creatures. They can choke on these straws. The straws can also make them very sick. Many straws end up in the ocean because they’re small. They’re often dropped by accident. Gutters and storm drains lead to the ocean. A dropped straw on the street can travel all the way to the sea.

  There’s another reason why straws are such a problem. Many people don’t know that they’re recyclable. However, they cause a problem even when they are recycled. The problem is their size. They’re too small for recycling machines. They cannot sort them. The straws end up becoming trash.

  The only solution is a ban. There’s even a clear replacement. People should use reusable straws. They are available and convenient. They make ones that you can keep on your keychain. Right now, Americans use half a billion straws per day. Imagine a world without that waste. Our city should do our part.