Straw-Free
Every day in this country, 500 million plastic straws are used and thrown away. They can’t be recycled.
Instead, many end up littering our rivers, our beaches and Puget Sound. Eventually, they become part of the 8 million tons of plastic that we put into our ocean every year.
Don’t let your straw be one of them.
Ditch the straw
500 million straws.
8 million tons of plastic.
All this plastic chokes and starves sea animals, many of whom ingest it instead of food.
It also breaks up into microplastics that become part of the water cycle and our ecosystem.
The Solution?
Go straw-free. It's easy.
IF YOU OWN A BUSINESS:
- Take our Straw-Free Pledge. Then print “Straws available on request” on menus or at point of sale. (According to the Plastic Pollution Coalition, 60-90% of customers do not request straws if none are provided.)
- Buy non-plastic straws. We love Aardvark paper straws for their durability and fun colors – see below for more options.
- Avoid “compostable” bioplastic. It’s not recyclable, and many composting facilities can’t take it.
- Check out the links below for cool graphics to print.
IF YOU ARE A CONSUMER:
- Simply request “No straw, please!” when you eat out, if you are able.
- Find out how else you can help us reduce plastic ocean pollution.
- Share the straw-free message on social media: #strawfree #strawfreetacoma
- Thank you for joining Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in reducing plastic pollution.
You help make our world better.
Who's gone straw-free?
All of these businesses!
Take Action
Find other straws
Print a graphic
