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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

OneLessStraw Pledge Campaign

(
Non-governmental organization (NGO)
)
#OceanAction41077
    Description
    Description
    It is estimated that over 500-million single use plastic straws are used every single day in America alone and most never get recycled. That is enough straws to fill over 127 school busses worth of disposable straws everyday. Straws are too small and therefore deemed no longer cost effective to recycle so 100% of all the straws used end up in our environment where it will sit for hundreds of years or even worse, be ingested by animals. That is why we created our global OneLessStraw Pledge Campaign.

    The OneLessStraw Pledge Campaign asks people to sign a pledge that they promise to go strawless for 30-days. We also have a school component built in that allows teachers to share the infographic with students and allow the students to take the pledge as well. We also have a restaurant component included that asks restaurants to "Only Serve Straws Upon Request". We give FREE Campaign Buttons to participating restaurants.

    The implementation of our global campaign is easy. We have set up various online options that allow anyone or any business or educational facility to sign up for free and we share all participants via our social media sites with direct links back tho the participants website.

    We offer FREE Campaign Buttons to restaurants, which all servers wear, that advertises the businesses efforts to be more sustainable. Participating restaurants have already reported 70-80% reduction in single use plastic straws usage just by implementing the campaign and wearing the buttons. We already have the campaign buttons translated in eight different languages and we are adding more as needed.

    We have also partnered with all the major organizations around the world already working on the reduction of plastic straw usage and share resources and support as needed. We are in the process of creating a global join database of all participants in the various campaigns so we can better gauge the successful impacts and reductions of straw usage globally.

    Our approach is simple, education is the key to solving almost any problem, and our goal is to provide the educational resources and tools needed for people and businesses around the world to make the right decision. The OneLessStraw Pledge Campaign is easy, nonthreatening and produces immediate results.
    Partners
    We have over 200 global partners. Complete list can be viewed here:
    http://onemoregeneration.org/onelessstraw-partners/
    3 Guys Restaurant (Partnership)
    5 Gyres Institue (Scientific Community)
    Aardvark Paper Straws (Partnership)
    Adai Network (Partnership)
    Algalita Marine Research Institute (Scientific Community)
    All the Way to the Ocean (Partnership)
    Alpharetta High School (Scientific Community)
    Atlanta Office of Sustainability (Intergovernmental Organization)
    Atmosphere Resort and Spa (Partnership)
    Australian Marine Debris Initiative (Scientific Community)
    B4plastics (Scientific Community)
    Bambu Home (Partnership)
    Bangladesh Environment and Development Society (Academic Institution)
    Bar Pleiades (Partnership)
    Be Straw Free (Partnership)
    Be the Solution to Pollution (Partnership)
    Beat the Microbead (Partnership)
    Berkshire Environmental Action Team (Academic Institution)
    Big Five Tours & Expeditions (Partnership)
    Black Warrior Riverkeeper (Partnership)
    Blue Heron Nature Preserve (Partnership)
    Bodhi Surf School (Partnership)
    Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs (Partnership)
    Brooker Creek Preserve (Partnership)
    CAFE BOULUD (Partnership)
    Cafe Flava Summit College (Partnership)
    CENTER for BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (Scientific Community)
    Chalker Elementary (Scientific Community)
    Quantify
    It is estimated that the average person in the USA uses 1.6 straws every single day. Every person signing our pledge equates to 1.6 straws per day per person signing.
    Nature
    Voluntary Reduction through education

    Goal 14

    Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

    Goal 14

    14.1

    By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

    14.1.1

    (a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density

    14.2

    By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans

    14.2.1

    Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas

    14.3

    Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels

    14.3.1
    Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations

    14.4

    By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics

    14.4.1
    Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

    14.5

    By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

    14.5.1
    Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas

    14.6

    By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

    14.6.1

    Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

    14.7

    By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

    14.7.1

    Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries

    14.a

    Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries

    14.a.1
    Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology

    14.b

    Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

    14.b.1

    Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

    14.c

    Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"

    14.c.1

    Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources

    Name Description
    14.1 By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
    14.2 By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
    14.a Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
    To directly contribute to the reduction of thousands of straws around the world
    To sign up 50 school districts and educate thousands of students
    To collect thousands of signed pledges by World Oceans Day
    To sign up hundreds of restaurants around the world
    Financing (in USD)
    5000
    In-kind contribution
    We are giving away thousands of our campaign buttons to restaurants for their servers to wear
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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    Action Network
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    Timeline
    01 October 2016 (start date)
    01 January 2020 (date of completion)
    Entity
    One More Generation
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    Fayetteville GA USA
    Ocean Basins
    Global
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Marine pollution, Marine and coastal ecosystems management, Scientific knowledge, research capacity development and transfer of marine technology
    More information
    Countries
    N/A
    Contact Information

    Carter and Olivia Ries, Founders