WHAT IS “SOUND SHORE LAST STRAW” ?
Participating area restaurants and food establishments have pledged to help reduce this unnecessary plastic waste. Residents can join in the effort as well.
For more about plastic straw waste and Sound Shore Last Straw, watch Rye TV’s Public Service Announcement about the initiative.
And read on to learn how you can make a simple change that can yield significant environmental benefits for your community.
THE SKINNY ON STRAW POLLUTION
As a coastal community, Rye is exposed to the acute problem of disposable plastic that is used for a few minutes but remains in the environment forever. Plastic straws make the top 10 list of items found on beaches, yet they cannot be recycled. Instead they end up in landfills, as litter, or in the ocean.
Americans use and discard over 500 million straws a day – that’s an average of 1.6 straws per person per day! Straws, however, are largely an unnecessary utensil. Most people don’t need a straw in order to easily consume a beverage. In fact, whether a straw is used or not is an arbitrary custom.
Think about it: You choose to drink certain carbonated beverages, like sodas, with a straw, but wouldn’t consider drinking a beer, through a straw. However, the vast majority of restaurants automatically serve water and other beverages with a plastic straw. That straw is then tossed away after one brief use.
There’s increasing recognition of the unnecessary waste of plastic straws. The Plastic Pollution Coalitionestimates that 1,800 “restaurants, organizations, institutions and schools worldwide have gotten rid of plastic straws or implemented a serve-straws-upon-request policy.”
We’ve learned from other communities that have instituted similar straw reduction campaigns that restaurants are actually saving money because they are giving out far fewer straws. Some establishments – even bars! – have completely eliminated straws. The feedback has been positive and has even given a public relations boost for participating establishments.
If other communities can do it, so can Rye: Join your neighbors and fellow Rye business leaders by saying “No” to unnecessary waste and saying “Yes” to that Last Straw!
Americans use 500 million disposable plastic straws/day.
Straws are one of the most common litter items found on beaches.
Marine animals mistake straws for food and can choke on them.
Plastic straws are made from polypropylene, a petroleum-based non-renewable plastic.
Chewing on straws is bad for your teeth.
It’s a convenience, not a necessity. For most of us, it’s a habit of convenience and habits can be changed!
This story originally appeared on Rye Sustainability website