This fall, Starbucks is offering something new to its Vancouver customers. And it's not a variation of its pumpkin spice latte.
The global coffee company announced Monday morning that it is phasing out the two billion single-use plastic straws it uses every year.
Vancouver and Seattle customers will be among the first to be offered one of its alternatives — a strawless lid.
Although the lid is currently available in the U.S. and Canada for select beverages, the lids will be the new standard for all iced coffee, tea and espresso beverages.The rollout will continue eastward with Europe to follow in select stores next year.
It plans to eliminate single-use plastic straws everywhere over the next two years.
And for those who think they simply can't drink their Frappuccinos withouth a straw,, Starbucks will begin offering straws made from alternative materials — including paper or compostable plastic — upon request.
A & W was the first to announce it was eliminating plastic straws, which are said to be one of the banes of ocean waste. However, Starbucks is the biggest food and beverage retailer to make the switch.
“Starbucks goal to eliminate plastic straws by 2020 from their stores globally represents the company’s forward thinking in tackling the material waste challenge in totality,” said Erin Simon, director of sustainability research & development at World Wildlife Fund, U.S. in a press release issued by Starbucks. “Plastic straws that end up in our oceans have a devastating effect on species. As we partner with Starbucks in waste reduction initiatives such as Next Gen Consortium Cup Challenge and WWF’s Cascading Materials Vision, we hope others will follow in their footsteps.”
