As an institution that traditionally pioneers both local and global political initiatives, the University of Texas at Austin is committed to ethical improvement and social innovation. Our ‘city on a hill’ serves as a model for others to follow in pursuing virtuous academic and social practices.

Single-use plastic is one of the largest threats to ocean sustainability. At current levels of waste production, by 2050, the weight of plastic in our oceans will exceed that of fish. Plastic straws in particular are too light to be caught by the mechanical recycling sorting process, making it nearly impossible to track the extent of the damage they cause. Free floating plastic is detrimental to marine life and disrupts ocean ecosystems in unprecedented ways and a framework for developing a solution is long overdue.

In order to set desirable standards of natural sustainability, serve exemplary for those seeking to better their communities, and show basic regard for global ecological concerns, we demand that The University of Texas at Austin require all affiliated dining locations to replace one-time-use plastic straws with biodegradable, paper alternatives.