Starbucks announces plastic straw ban to help save the ocean

The Seattle based company, Starbucks, has announced that it will eliminate all plastic straws in its 28,000 stores by 2020. The move comes one week after Seattle’s ban of all plastic drinking straws and utensils. Starbucks is the largest food and beverage company to phase out single-use straws, cutting out an estimated 1bn straws each year! Currently around 8-10 million tonnes of plastic ends up in the ocean annually.

Plastic pollution destroys marine life and poses a real threat to whales and dolphins. 56% of all whale and dolphin species, from small fish-eating dolphins to the largest filter feeding whales, have been recorded eating marine plastics that they have mistaken for food.

Starbucks will use biodegradable straws made from materials like paper and specially designed lids. There has been criticism that the sipping lid and cups are still made of plastic, however the coffee retailer has joined a growing list of companies and governments committed to reducing plastic waste. Hopefully other global players will follow.

You can help us to keep oceans plastic-free and secure a safe future for whales and dolphins! Visit notwhalefood.com for inspiration how to reduce plastic waste and get your own NOTWHALEFOOD T-shirt here.