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In 2017, plastic straws were the eleventh most common ocean trash.
That’s keeping owners of MGM Resorts up at night. So effective immediately, they’re discontinuing their current straw practices. Servers will no longer provide you with stir straws or drinking straws unless you specifically ask.
The Senior Vice President of MGM said,
The elimination of plastic straws is the latest addition to MGM’s comprehensive environmental responsibility program and can further enhance our efforts to protect our planet.
This is a nice gesture by MGM to show folks that they’re environmentally conscious. And Hyatt hotels plans to make a similar move beginning September 1, 2018.
With MGM as one of the top 5 largest non-chain restaurant operators on earth, and Hyatt being one of the most recognizable hotels on earth, every token move could make a bit of difference.
Starbucks harbors similar concerns about plastic straws, but it’s taking a different approach. By 2020, they plan to offer biodegradable straws all over the country. That sounds like the best solution to me.
As far as the departure of straws is concerned, in general, I don’t use them anyway; if ever I unwrap a straw, my main objective is usually to blow the paper in someone’s face.
Do you have a strong opinion about the plastic straw industry?