# FILE NAME: 00000475.soc
# TITLE: Should the government ban plastic straws? [8fa3090b9caa2ba789fb81e639909b64]
# DESCRIPTION: 
# DATA TYPE: soc
# MODIFICATION TYPE: original
# RELATES TO: 
# RELATED FILES: 
# PUBLICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# MODIFICATION DATE: 2025-10-12
# NUMBER ALTERNATIVES: 4
# NUMBER VOTERS: 5
# NUMBER UNIQUE ORDERS: 3
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 1: Statement 1 - We should ban the use of plastic straws. They are unnecessary and very wasteful. There are many alternatives to them such as paper and metal.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 2: Statement 2 - The group came to the consensus view that we should not ban plastic straws but we should limit the use of them by making businesses charge more for their use.
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 3: Statement 3 - “I believe that the government should ban plastic straws, however, they shouldn't place too much importance on this as there is so much plastic in the ocean, not only straws, but they should reduce the consumption of plastic in most products. I believe they should reduce the consumption of plastic straws and charge franchises such as Starbucks more as they should be willing to use more environmentally friendly materials. Nobody re-uses plastic straws they are always thrown away so they have no reason not to change to paper or cardboard.  I believe that paper or cardboard straws are the better option and the government should ban plastic straws because there are other products that are more environmentally friendly, such as paper straws.”
# ALTERNATIVE NAME 4: Statement 4 - In general, the group was in favour of banning plastic straws but thought that government should place more pressure on companies to reduce their consumption of plastic rather than banning them as banning plastic straws would only mean that more plastic would be produced to replace plastic straws.
2: 3,1,4,2
2: 3,4,2,1
1: 3,1,2,4