2018 Straws Campaign

The Last Straw

A student-led, NYC-based campaign brought to you by the Sustainability Through Student Voices Conference team!

The Problem: Plastic straws contribute to the serious environmental problem of plastic pollution.
What we're doing: Spread the word through personal connections! We will ask family, friends, schools, restaurants, and businesses to commit to reduce plastic straw use and to replace plastic straws with environmentally friendly alternatives.

Record Pledges!

Click here for our google form to recored your personal or institutional pledge.

Why straws?

Americans use an estimated half a billion straws a day! That is enough straw waste to wrap around the circumference of the earth 2.5 times. We use plastics for important things, like medical equipment, and for not-so-important things, like unnecessary packaging, or a straw for every single drink we order. Straws are but one of our many "plastic habits,” which contribute to a profoundly negative environmental impact from plastic waste. The Sustainability Through Student Voices Conference team is launching a student-led initiative asking New York restaurants, businesses, schools, and individuals to join the national efforts to reduce and replace plastic straws. We are inviting students, teachers, "green teams," and all interested members of school communities to join us in a campaign to reduce and replace plastic straws in New York City.

Campaign Goals

By the April 27, 2018 STSV Conference, we will compile a database of personal and institutional commitments to reducing or replacing plastic straws in NYC.

We'll track our progress with a special app created just for this campaign!

Personal:

Make our own personal commitment to reduce or replace plastic straws
Encourage our friends and family to make personal commitments to reduce or replace plastic straws

Our Schools:

Ask our schools to reduce or replace plastic straws. Contact our schools' food service providers - i.e. Cater to You, FLIK Dining - about this issue.

Our Community - Ask Our Local Businesses and Restaurants to:

Offer plastic straws on request only.
OR EVEN BETTER: Discontinue use of plastic - find viable alternatives made from paper or plant products.

Why it's not a straw 'ban.' Members of our communities who have allergies to metal, or need straws in order for foods to be accessible, have asked that the organizers behind the straw ban consider their unique concerns. This article explores how this issue played out in Seattle. How would you suggest anti-single-use plastics campaigns be more inclusive?