The War on Straws Is Coming to a Bar Near You
Plastic straws have begun disappearing from some taverns and restaurants as bartenders, liquor companies and others argue that too many end up in the ocean
Originally published by the Wall Street Journal
By Cara Lombardo
Jennifer Call was aghast recently when the server at her go-to Asheville, N.C., pizza spot delivered her Diet Coke.
It was missing the straw!
Ms. Call, 30 years old, was caught up in a war on straws declared by a growing cadre of bartenders, liquor companies, celebrities and environmentalists. They argue too many of the plastic drinking devices—from big soda straws to little cocktail numbers—end up in the ocean.
Bacardi Ltd. cited the 500 million estimate when it became one of the first spirits makers to take a stand against plastic straws and swizzle sticks, banning them two years ago from its events. A Bacardi spokeswoman says the initiative spares more than 1 million straws a year.
