Milo Cress (born 2001) is the founder and spokesperson for the Be Straw Free campaign,[1] which partners with Eco-Cycle.[2]

Milo Cress
Born2001 (age 22–23)
Occupations
  • Student
  • Environmental activist
Years active2011–present

Activism

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Milo Cress founded the Be Straw Free campaign in 2011 at the age of nine. The campaign advocates for restaurants and other venues to reduce their use of disposable straws.[3][4] At the age of nine, Cress conducted research by surveying straw manufacturers, estimating that Americans use 500 million straws daily. This figure has been widely cited by major news organizations, though it has faced criticism for potential inaccuracy due to Cress's young age when the research was conducted.[5][6][7] The market research firm Freedonia Group estimated the number of straws used daily by Americans to be 390 million.[7] Another market research firm, Technomic, estimated the number of straws used daily by Americans to be 170 million. However, this figure excludes certain types of straws.[7]

Cress has garnered a significant following in South Korea.[8] He has traveled globally, delivering presentations to various organizations about his "offer first" concept and advocating for children to engage in activism in their own capacities. In 2014, he was recognized as a finalist for the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Staff, Meghan Foley Sentinel. "Vermont teen fighting plastic pollution to speak in Keene". SentinelSource.com. Retrieved 2018-01-16.
  2. ^ "Longmont 11-year-old campaigns for 'offer first' policy on drinking straws". Retrieved 2018-01-16.
  3. ^ York, Will Pavia, New (2017-06-27). "Boy, 9, fights to turn tide of ocean plastic". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2018-01-16.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "NPS Commercial Services". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2018-01-16.
  5. ^ "California Considers $1,000 Fine for Waiters Offering Unsolicited Plastic Straws". reason.com. 25 January 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  6. ^ Americans Throw Out Millions Of Plastic Straws Daily. Here's What's Being Done About It
  7. ^ a b c Chokshi, Niraj (2018-07-19). "How a 9-Year-Old Boy's Statistic Shaped a Debate on Straws". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-08-07.
  8. ^ "A 10-year-old urges restaurants to 'be straw free'". Christian Science Monitor. 2012-07-06. ISSN 0882-7729. Retrieved 2018-01-16.
  9. ^ Kehoe, Megan (2014-11-19). "No more straws? Yes, says Bend student". The Bulletin. Archived from the original on 2018-01-16. Retrieved 2018-01-16.