Last Monday, Starbucks announced a new eco-friendly plan to eliminate plastic straws from all of their locations.
The coffee giant wants to cut waste, which is a trend that other companies should follow as well.
Straws make up a tiny percentage of waste in the ocean. However, straws are no longer being thought of as necessary, making Starbucks’ ban an easy way to reduce plastic. A scientist from Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Denise Hardesty, stated:
“There are several of these single-use items the public is realizing, hey, we don’t actually need these.”
Starbucks’ city of origin, Seattle, has also announced a ban on plastic drinking straws as well as on utensils.
Starbucks locations in Seattle are currently offering alternatives for straws.
Fort Myers Beach, Florida has also banned the use of plastic straws. Some cities, like New York and San Francisco, have put forward proposals to ban plastic straws.
OTHER COMPANIES MOVE TOWARDS ECO-FRIENDLY RESOURCES
Other companies, such as Dunkin’ Donuts and McDonald’s, are attempting to make their chains more eco-friendly as well. Dunkin’ Donuts plans to eliminate foam cups by 2020, and McDonald’s locations will soon begin to manufacture their cups and boxes with recyclable materials. These small changes will no doubt create a significant impact on the environment.
Large companies often face difficulty when switching their materials to eco-friendly options, because they need to ensure that their new supplies still meet customer satisfaction. Laura Craven, Starbucks’ marketing director, commented:
“Our biggest challenge is trying to locate alternative sources so we can satisfy the demand.”
However, the movement for eco-friendly resources is definitely creating a positive trend across the nation. Straws make up two thousand tons out of the nine million tons of plastic which are annually discarded in our oceans. An advocacy group called 5 Gyres stated that the five most prominent sources of plastic waste are straws, plastic bags, water bottles, to-go containers, and to-go cups.
With climate change becoming an increasing concern, officials have advised consumers to be more conscious of their waste. They remind all to try to recycle at home and find alternative solutions to plastic items.
Starbucks’ plan is a step in the right direction for a cleaner world, and hopefully, more businesses will follow suit.
Featured Picture via/ Starbucks Newsroom
