While most things seem steeped in partisan politics nowadays, reducing single-use plastic is something a plurality of Americans support. According to a recent Ipsos poll, three-quarters of people in the country support national policies to address single-use plastic pollution, with a majority of Republicans, 69%, and Democrats, 90%, expressing concern over the environmental impact of plastic pollution.

It seemed like bans on single-use plastic straws would be low-hanging fruit for lawmakers seeing a clear mandate to address plastic pollution. With the exception of some people with disabilities—more on that later— for most folks, plastic straws are more of a convenience and preference. You don’t need a straw to enjoy most beverages. Plastic straws made of recyclable materials are too small to be processed by many plastic collection facilities and end up in landfills. Finally, humans are suckers for causes with charismatic megafauna attached to them. In the case of single-use plastic straw bans, a viral video of a sea turtle impaled in the face with a plastic straw being treated by volunteers was enough to convince many that plastic trash ending up in the ocean is something critical that needs immediate attention.

Despite broad support for reducing plastic, many consumers have derided plastic straw bans. Despite catching feels over a YouTube video of a poor turtle suffering over our use of plastic beverage straws, they loathe policies banning straws and dislike many of the more sustainable alternatives on the market.