Calgary! I know most of us are aware by now of an ever growing problem that faces us globally: single use plastics.

While I truly believe it is high time that we step up and take action by banning all single use plastics, I am coming to you today with one specific goal in mind: to ban plastic straws entirely in the city of Calgary.

After spending much of the last 6 years of my life traveling and working abroad in developing countries in the dive industry; working closely with our oceans, I can confidently say that the environmental impacts plastic straws have had thus far on our planet and most specifically, on our oceans is massive. It’s absolutely tragic, in fact, and also absolutely unnecessary. I’m quite sure that you are aware of this problem as it’s been taking a huge movement around the globe with banning straws in many large cities and even some entire countries along with the #stopsucking movement.

It’s estimated that in the USA alone, 500 million single use straws are used every single day, and almost the entirety of those are not recyclable. (That’s enough straws to circle the earth 2.5 times every single day). It also takes a single straw up to 200 years to decompose. They are the 11th most common piece of trash found in our earth’s oceans. These pieces of plastic are ingested by our wildlife and cause serious harm and often death among already endangered species.

At this day in age, when there are many alternatives to plastic straws, we have absolutely no excuse and certainly no right to be causing such harm to the one planet we have. (bamboo and metal are two great reusable ones) and even paper straws (which unfortunately are still another piece of trash that can accumulate), they are a much more eco friendly alternative than plastic as they can be composted and biodegrade MUCH faster than plastic ever could.

It’s an embarrassing fact that first world countries and cities such as our own are still allowing these disgustingly selfish practices to continue despite knowing the harm that they are causing to our ecosystems around the globe. We have knowledge of the harm we are causing and we are continuing to cause it purely for one single reason: convenience. This needs to stop and I am begging for your help to stop it here in Calgary.

This is a plea for a call to action to change one thing we can! Please sign this petition and share it with as many people as you can (friends, family, coworkers, restaurant owners etc).

Let’s make a difference together! I truly believe we can.