Paper straw ban: Metro Detroit non-profit concerned after Trump decision
Michigan non-profit concerned after Trump decision to ban paper straws
Executive Director Ashley Flintoff says plastic is bad for all of us—it accumulates in bodies of water, breaks down into micro and nano particles that get into our food supply through fish and other animals, and then into our bodies.
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Paper straws may become a thing of the past after President Donald Trump signed off on the federal government purchasing more plastic straws.
It is a decision that leaves some chuckling, as paper straws have been infamously known to become soggy when inside drinks.
Local perspective:
Meanwhile, a local non-profit, Friends of the Rouge, sees this as no laughing matter.
Executive Director Ashley Flintoff says plastic is bad for all of us as it accumulates in bodies of water, breaks down into micro and nano-particles that get into our food supply through fish and other animals, and then into our bodies.
"We found the by-products of the plastic industry and micro and nano-particles of plastic in human bodies and human brains—in the food that we eat and the clothing that we wear. It's pretty much everywhere, and it never actually goes away," Flintoff said.
This is why environmental groups were pleased when then-President Joe Biden steered the federal government away from single-use plastics.
"I do think that it made a significant impact and I think the rollback of this is really going to have kind of ripple effects all the way down," Flintoff said.
She's still encouraging everyone to commit to reusable containers, water bottles, and silverware, citing the energy waste and financial waste that goes into the production of single-use plastics when there are metal, bamboo, and compostable alternatives instead, not just paper.
"I think that I would ask him to look at the potential of creating new economies—new support across the board for alternatives to single-use plastics and really the long-term legacy that he wants to leave, and that we all want to leave for our children's children."
Trump bans paper straws
What they're saying:
Trump's post detailed that paper straws didn't work, and it is time to put an end to it. "BACK TO PLASTIC!"
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 10: U.S. President Donald Trump, accompanied by White House staff secretary Will Scharf (L), appears at the Resolute Desk as he signs a series of executive orders including 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum, a pardon for for
This message comes just a day after Trump signed an executive order directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate the "targeting" of Christians. He also accused the Biden administration of "persecution" for prosecuting anti-abortion advocates.
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 10: U.S. President Donald Trump signs a series of executive orders including 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum, a pardon for former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, an order relating to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and a
The Source: FOX 2 talked with Executive Director Ashley Flintoff and used reporting from previous stories.
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'BACK TO PLASTIC' Trump to sign executive order banning paper straws
In a recent post on the social media platform Truth Social, President Trump stated he will be signing an executive order to "the ridiculous Biden push for Paper Straws."