Target: Rahm Emanuel, Mayor of Chicago
Goal: Applaud the people of Chicago’s support for banning plastic straws and support ordinances that will put it into action.
Chicago residents voted to ban plastic straws in the recent midterm election. Introduced as a non-binding question on the midterm ballot, voters were asked “Should the City of Chicago ban the use of plastic straws within the corporate city limits?” More than 55% of voters across the city of Chicago chose the yes option. Although this popular vote will not immediately result in an official ban, city ordinances are already being drafted and are expected to be passed in early 2019. If Chicago can turn popular opinion into legally binding action they will join New York City, Seattle, and all of California in rejecting the use of dangerous and wasteful plastic straws.
Out of the millions of tons of plastic waste in our oceans, studies estimate that over 8.3 billion plastic straws form a vast part of the pollution. This number will only grow as more and more single-use plastic straws are produced and thrown away. An estimated 500 million plastic straws are still used each day. The recent wave of straw-banning legislation is indebted to consciousness-raising efforts by environmentalist organizations and petitions on this website which have demanded a straw ban on the local and international level.
Please sign this petition to applaud Mayor Rahm Emanuel for presiding over the people of Chicago’s historic decision and to demand that he support upcoming legislation to ban plastic straws.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mayor Emanuel,
A majority of Chicago voters have demanded that Chicago ban plastic straws. During the midterm election 55% of voters agreed with a non-binding question asking them if plastic straws should be banned. While not legally binding, this vote shows that Chicago residents want to join cities like New York City, Seattle, and San Francisco in reducing the amount of dangerous plastic waste they pump into the ocean. Studies estimate that there are nearly 8.3 billion plastic straws polluting our ocean, a number that only grows as an estimated 500 million plastic straws are used and thrown away each day.
City ordinances are already being drafted to turn this popular support into legislation, but there is pushback. Restaurateurs and plastics companies have already spoken out in opposition of the plastic straw ban. As the plastic straw ban moves forward please prioritize the needs of the environment and the desires of the people of Chicago over the myopic interests of big business. Thank you for presiding over the beginning of an important environmental victory; I demand that you also support the legislation that will make it a reality.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Kevin Rheese
world should ban plastics for once!