It Starts From Within: Bacardi Launches Internal “No-Straw” Movement

Apr 18, 2016 11:05 AM ET

Prove Your Purpose

It may seem like a small thing, but single use plastic straws have a big environmental footprint. In fact, more than 175 billion straws are filtered into landfills and litter the oceans each year – and plastic straws rank no. 5 on the list of the top 10 items collected in the ocean, according to The Last Plastic Straw. Now, one spirits company is putting a stake in the ground on the issue, making a small change with the potential for major impact.

Last month, Bacardi launched the "No Straw" movement – an internal initiative to eliminate straws and stirrers from all company events. The effort helps to send a signal to employees that sustainability is a priority for the brand, and even the smallest acts can build to greater impact. The announcement ladders up to the company's broader "Good Spirited: Building a Sustainable Future" environmental campaign which incorporates responsible sourcing, streamlined packaging and efficient operations as focus areas of its efforts. The "No Straw" initiative is expected to save nearly 12,000 straws and stirrers from landfills just from in-house company happy hours.

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