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Dolphins are not the only animal being hurt by plastic pollution.

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Dolphins are not the only animal being hurt by plastic pollution.

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Metal straws are just one one to stop using single use plastics and stop polluting our oceans. 

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Metal straws are just one one to stop using single use plastics and stop polluting our oceans. 

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In some places, the water does look like this because of how much single use plastics people use. 

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In some places, the water does look like this because of how much single use plastics people use. 

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We want our oceans to be clean and prevention is the way to do it.

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Microbeads just like these are a large problem. Plastic pollution is not the only large plastics under the sea, it is also small microplastics.  

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Microbeads just like these are a large problem. Plastic pollution is not the only large plastics under the sea, it is also small microplastics.  

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Animals like turtles will mistake plastic as food under water.  

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Animals like turtles will mistake plastic as food under water.  

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It does not feel good to be part of the problem.

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It does not feel good to be part of the problem.

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Plastic Pollution in the ocean is a huge problem. 

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Plastic Pollution in the ocean is a huge problem. 

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I remember when my parents told me I got to go on a trip and I was so excited to go swimming in the ocean and hang out on the beach. Well, imagine getting to the beach and plastic being all over it. Not only plastic was covering the beach but plastic would be all over under the water, too. I went to Key West in Florida with my family for the first time and we could not even be on the beach for very long because the plastic was everywhere. Imagine kids in the future not even being able to go to the beach and see the animal and be able to swim. Just imagine that feeling of never getting to go to the beach. I'm sure when you were a kid going on vacation was so much fun but kids in the future might not be able to experience this excitement. This could be our future because I’m sure single-use plastics are used in all of our daily lives but we need to reduce plastic pollution and one thing that should be done is we need to reduce single-plastic use if we want to fix this issue.

You probably hear people complaining about plastic pollution in the air all the time but plastic pollution under the sea is a huge problem as well. For example, “ Plastic left on the ground as litter often blows into creeks and rivers, eventually ending up in the ocean. And because plastic trash is different from other types of waste -it doesn’t decompose on the beach into nature like an apple core or a piece of paper-it stays in the ocean forever. That means discarded fishing nets and six-pack rings can entangle animals. Harmful straws and grocery bags can be mistaken as food,” (“Plastic Pollution”) As you can see, plastic pollution in the ocean is very bad. It hurts animals and never leaves the ocean. You might think you could just clean it up or it's not that big of a deal but that is wrong. To illustrate, “ ‘Whether it’s a straw or whether it’s a bottle cap, those items can be eaten by animals, and they pose threat by getting stuck in their digestive tracks. It can tear their stomachs,’ Nick Mallos of the ocean conservancy told Young last month. ‘So these products in their entirety are problematic, but what equally, if not even more, concerning is that over time these materials are in the ocean, they begin to break up into smaller and smaller pieces,’ “ (“In Thailand, 17 ponds of plastic kills whale, highlighting ocean pollution”) As this paragraph tells, discarded plastic pollution is so dangerous for animals because it can become entangled in their stomachs and endanger all marine animals. In addition, the smaller the plastic gets, the harder it is to keep it out of the ocean. For example, “Too small to be trapped in filters at wastewater treatment plants, microbeads continue to travel into rivers, lakes,- and eventually down the sea. Some of the plastic would have been too small to have been caught in cozas net,” (“Tiny plastic, big problem”) As you can see, microplastics contribute to his problem as well. Tiny plastic beads are in face scrubs and body scrubs that you probably use. Plastic that you discard is not the only plastic polluting the marine habitat. These are just some things relating to plastic pollution.

However, one main solution to plastic pollution is prevention. Preventing plastic pollution is not that hard. In fact, “The best solution is to prevent more plastic from reaching the ocean. Trash traps and litter booms can snag garbage before it enters waterways. Even better: Reduce plastic waste at its source. Be aware of packaging and buy items that use less of it. Law suggests skip the plastic bags, including zippered ones used for food. Invest in reusable water bottles and lunch containers, and say no to straws,” (“Tiny plastic, big problem”) As a result of this evidence, this might sound like a choice OTHER people need to make but legislation could be put in place to stop using single-use plastic. For example, “Prime Minister Theresa May has called for legislation banning straws and other single-use plastics. In Canada, plastic straws have already been banned in Vancouver, and similar efforts are underway in Scotland, Taiwan, and Malibu, Calif,” (“In Thailand, 17 ponds of plastic kills whale, highlighting ocean pollution”) From the same article, “Experts are encouraging people to look at alternatives like canvas bags and glass, metal or paper straws,” As these two evidence show, If legislation is being made elsewhere, it can be made here too. This solution is more sustainable, it endangers much fewer marine animals and their habits. The negative solutions or slim to none. However, many other solutions have many negative effects and are very controlling of what you can eat and might result in other problems. All this evidence shows that prevention is a great way to stop plastic pollution. Don’t forget you can do something about plastic pollution if you want people in the future to be able to enjoy the beach as well.

Senator Stabenow, I’m sure you love taking beach vacations too but just imagine not being able to take those vacations and future kids not being able to take those vacations as well. I just imagine not being able to go to, Florida, for example, swim, hang out at the beach, and enjoy the food and fun. This could be our future if we don't stop using single-use plastics. You need to make legislation to make sure we can prevent even more plastic from getting into the ocean. I want you to think about all of the plastic you use every day. If you make legislation to stop plastic pollution, you will be part of the solution and not the problem.

Sincerely,

McKenna Kozicki