Northwestern University Chemical Engineering Professor Jennifer Dunn joins Ilyce Glink to explain how those plastic straws we've been trying to avoid using actually end up in the ocean.

FILE – This Jan. 3, 2012 file photo shows the Starbucks Coffee logo in Mountain View, Calif. A growing number of U.S. companies are pledging to give workers time off to vote in the presidential election this November, an effort that’s gaining steam despite the government’s reluctance to make Election Day a federal holiday. Starbucks said Thursday it will give its 200,000 U.S. employees flexibility on Election Day, encouraging them to plan ahead with managers and schedule time to vote or volunteer at polling places. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

Posted: Sep 11, 2020 / 12:52 PM CDT

Updated: Sep 11, 2020 / 12:52 PM CDT

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

Northwestern University chemical engineering professor Jennifer Dunn joins Ilyce Glink to explain how those plastic straws we’ve been trying to avoid using actually end up in the ocean. And, Ilyce asks Jennifer how it directly affects ocean life. That’s after Starbucks introduced a new sippy cup lid to replace their plastic straws.