Paper straws are unwrapping at restaurants all over South Florida.
Environmentalists say plastic winds up in the ocean, harming marine life, including sea turtles. Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach sees the effects of overuse of straws firsthand. A one-year-old hawksbill turtle named Sherman came into the center from Vero Beach a few weeks ago. Since then, he's been passing small pieces of plastic.
Some say the paper straws get soggy too fast. Some don't like how the paper feels in their mouth.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection says that plastic straws are among the top five items collected on the beach every year.
Several restaurants are starting to make the switch. They are trying to eliminate single-use plastics.
Paper Straw Establishments
- Jumby Bay in Jupiter is starting to phase out plastic straws.
- Plastic straws are only available by request at Racks Downtown Eatery + Tavern in Boca. And Racks Fish House & Oyster Bar in Delray. And Farmhouse Kitchen in Boca and Delray.
- Kapow Noodle Bar in Mizner park goes through 300,000 plastic straws a year. Now they have eliminated them.
- Shake Shack in Boca is ditching plastic straws by 2019.
- Jupiter's Beach Committee voted to recommend a resolution on eliminating plastic straws.
- Walt Disney World plans to eliminate plastic straws by 2019.
- Starbucks is eliminating plastic straws by 2020.
- Marriott and Hilton are removing all plastic straws and drink stirrers by the end of this year.
- Hyatt will make plastic straws available by request.
- American and Alaska Airlines are removing plastic straws.
- Royal Caribbean is talking plastic straws off all 50 of their ships.
- SeaWorld is eliminating single-use plastic straws and bags from all 12 of its theme parks.
- Seattle has banned plastic straws and utensils.
- Miami Beach and Fort Myers have banned or limited the use of plastic straws in restaurants.
