Seattle is set to enact a ban on plastic straws and utensils.
All businesses that sell food or drinks must offer compostable or recyclable options â or ask patrons to forgo the tools altogether â come next July as part of a citywide ordinance to curb plastic waste across the city.
The ban aside, about 200 retailers have agreed to make the switch this month as part of an industry-led campaign, dubbed âStrawless in Seattle,â to prevent the plastic from polluting ocean waters and threatening marine life. It is among similar efforts by advocacy groups in cities spanning the country, from San Diego to Miami.
âWhen you get your iced latte, youâre going to get a straw. When you go get your mojito, youâre probably going to get a straw,â said campaign leader Dune Ives, executive director of The Lonely Whale Foundation. âOnce we start observing our daily life, itâs really easy to see how quickâ the plastic adds up.
Supporters of the push say the change will save 1 million plastic straws from circulating in Seattle this month alone. That many straws end to end could nearly cover the distance from Seattle to the Canadian border.
Many places across the city have made the switch from plastic to compostable straws, utensils and other items, including CenturyLink Field, Safeco Field and Columbia Towerâs Juicy Café, for example. Other local restaurants, such as Kidd Valley, are in the process of phasing out plastics. Costumers can expect the trend to grow.
âWhen they go to a restaurant they may not get a straw â and thatâs OK,â Ives said, shortly after a Thursday-morning event at the Seattle Aquarium to raise awareness for the September campaign. âTheyâre a part of this.â
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