Your local Starbucks in the city of Seattle is now offering compostable straws. There may be a few non-compostable straws left, but by July 1, 2018, all straws inside Seattle Starbucks locations must be compostable. The reason for this is because Seattle law requires it: The City of Seattle requires all food service businesses to use recyclable or compostable packaging and serviceware instead of disposable serviceware.
I would encourage Starbucks to adopt compostable straws in all their company-operated locations and encourage licensed stores to use compostable straws. It’s well document that plastic may eventually break down into micro plastic pieces, but that are oceans are turning into a ‘plastic soup’ from trillions of tons of micro plastic pieces. One estimate says that Starbucks uses 2 billion plastic straws per year.
Seattle is not the only municipality requiring the use of compostable or paper straws. There are cities in California with similar local laws. I’m not inclined to think that petitions do much, but if you’d like to sign one, here you go.
What’s your take on straws and plastic ware at Starbucks? Should they be environmentally friendly?
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About that bad news a couple weeks back about 150 planned store closings…
Looks like going all-in on Frappuccinos the last few years (and oversaturating Seattle and NYC while ignoring other places) has finally come back to haunt them…
My main worry is, with Schultz out, will this also mean the end of the Reserve program? No more 1000 new Reserve Bars? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if they take Reserves out of Toronto they will lose me as a customer for good.
These straws will not biodegrade in the ocean…the obeyed the letter of the law, but not the spirit
Seeing cimpostabla straws throughout Washington, DC stores this week. What are the new straws made from? Would be great if they are plant-based plastic instead of oil. Thanks!