Welcome to By Request Only!
Our mission? To eliminate plastic straws.
Completely and entirely, one straw at a time.Why?
Because one-use plastics are terrible for the environment. Plastic kills marine life.
How do we know this? While in Chicago recently, we went to the Shedd Aquarium and learned a lot of facts. For example, plastic does not biodegrade, it photo degrades into smaller pieces which marine animals eat. Also, did you know that 300 million plastic straws are used per day?
Think about that for a minute.
We are starting our own campaign to turn down plastic straws in restaurants.
To encourage restaurants to hand out a straw by request only.
There's been lots of research done on the topic of single-use plastics by many scientists, researchers and environmentalists. Our mission is to educate others to be aware of this vast body of research, to reduce and even eliminate individual plastic straw use in the United States.
While some customers need a straw for their drink, not everyone does. Most people have the dexterity to pick up their glass and can sip their beverage from the rim, as it was designed. Some individuals, and I have family members who would fall into this category, cannot pick up a glass because of a hand injury or ailment. In the United States, however, and in particular in the fast food industry, straws are handed out without being requested by the customer. You receive a paper napkin or two and a straw and often it's all put in a one-use paper or plastic bag.
Not Necessary! We will request that restaurants give customers a straw by request only.
What is our plan to accomplish this task?
First of all, through this blog, we will share published research regarding the environmental impact of plastic straw use, as well as current campaigns by other groups to reduce and eliminate plastic straws (there are lots of great people out there working on this task already). Here's information on one successful campaign, "Be Straw Free", started in Vermont by a student named Milo Cress.
By starting a letter writing and door-to-door campaign in our community, asking food businesses to stop using plastic straws. Sphere of influence begins close to home.
By talking to friends, family and neighbors about the environmental impact of plastic straws.
By telling waitstaff about the environmental impact of plastic straws, and telling them with your order (important that you tell them up front) that you do NOT want a plastic straw, thank you anyway!
By using social media, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, to inform and encourage others about our campaign.
And on a peripheral topic, we will also:
By asking restaurants to have recycling programs and bins available on their premises.
By taking home our packaging and recycling it ourselves when another option is not available.
And there you have it. It's a start and a personal commitment.
I think it's fitting that our first post is on November 15, America Recycles Day.
Please reuse, repurpose, recycle, reduce, and whenever possible, turn down that plastic straw.
There's been lots of research done on the topic of single-use plastics by many scientists, researchers and environmentalists. Our mission is to educate others to be aware of this vast body of research, to reduce and even eliminate individual plastic straw use in the United States.
While some customers need a straw for their drink, not everyone does. Most people have the dexterity to pick up their glass and can sip their beverage from the rim, as it was designed. Some individuals, and I have family members who would fall into this category, cannot pick up a glass because of a hand injury or ailment. In the United States, however, and in particular in the fast food industry, straws are handed out without being requested by the customer. You receive a paper napkin or two and a straw and often it's all put in a one-use paper or plastic bag.
Not Necessary! We will request that restaurants give customers a straw by request only.
What is our plan to accomplish this task?
First of all, through this blog, we will share published research regarding the environmental impact of plastic straw use, as well as current campaigns by other groups to reduce and eliminate plastic straws (there are lots of great people out there working on this task already). Here's information on one successful campaign, "Be Straw Free", started in Vermont by a student named Milo Cress.
By starting a letter writing and door-to-door campaign in our community, asking food businesses to stop using plastic straws. Sphere of influence begins close to home.
By talking to friends, family and neighbors about the environmental impact of plastic straws.
By telling waitstaff about the environmental impact of plastic straws, and telling them with your order (important that you tell them up front) that you do NOT want a plastic straw, thank you anyway!
By using social media, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, to inform and encourage others about our campaign.
And on a peripheral topic, we will also:
By asking restaurants to have recycling programs and bins available on their premises.
By taking home our packaging and recycling it ourselves when another option is not available.
And there you have it. It's a start and a personal commitment.
I think it's fitting that our first post is on November 15, America Recycles Day.
Please reuse, repurpose, recycle, reduce, and whenever possible, turn down that plastic straw.
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