Milo Cress

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

Activism
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. 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. The market research firm Freedonia Group estimated the number of straws used daily by Americans to be 390 million. 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.

Cress has garnered a significant following in South Korea. 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.