The Last Straw Calgary is a campaign presented by Plastic-Free YYC, a grassroots non-profit aimed at reducing single-use plastic by raising awareness about the overall impact of plastic on our community and our planet.  We hope to inspire individuals, collaborate with businesses, and encourage governing bodies to evoke change and ultimately helping Calgarians lead a plastic-free lifestyle.

Over the next few weeks we’ll be recruiting as many bars and restaurants as possible to join us in making July 14th The Last Straw.

Click here to see a list of participating bars & restaurants.

The  Last Straw is a movement to reduce plastic waste produced in the hospitality industry. This project is born out of the desire to shift perspectives and behaviours. Every time a straw-free drink is served, it means one less item in our landfills, one less piece of plastic in our oceans. Small changes can make a big difference.

The Last Straw is a stepping stone to a more mindful approach in our consumption of single-use plastics.

Click here to see a list of participating bars & restaurants.

Q – Why is it important to go straw-free?

A – Over 57 million straws are thrown away every day in Canada alone. Taking countless resources to produce and to distribute to only being used for a short time before going to live for an eternity in landfills, end up in our waterways, washed up on beaches around the world, or worst, eaten by wildlife. They have a huge impact on our earth but such a small impact on our lives and the quality of service that restaurants provide.

Q – What do we mean by “straw-free”?

A – Ideally, there would be no disposable straws whatsoever – especially straws made of plastic. However, some people legitimately need straws – such as those with certain disabilities – so of course there are exceptions. We are asking that all restaurants and bars stop giving single-use straws automatically. Either provide reusable straws (glass, stainless steel), or provide a less harmful disposable straw on request only (paper, pasta, twizzlers, etc!).

Q – What about using compostable straws?

Compostable straws are still disposable. They are still less preferable than opting to go strawless or use a reusable straw.

If you need to use compostable straws (for example, for people with certain disabilities), they should be properly composted in a commercial composting facility. Buying compostable straws and then disposing of them in a landfill is not a solution to our unsustainable system of consumption and disposal.

In true Albertan fashion, the gloves are off between our two cities once again. This time to see who can earn the title of Alberta’s 2018 Last Straw Champion!

Plastic Free YYC and Waste Free Edmonton have challenged each another to see which team can get the most restaurants and bars in their city to go straw-free on July 14, 2018.

Click here to see a list of all participating bars & restaurants.

Rules

1) Only newly straw-free establishments count. Businesses that previously decided to go straw-free – while they are recognised and thanked as straw-free leaders – are not awarded points for the competition.

2) Points will be given to the competing cities as follows:

● 1 Point for Silver participants – businesses who agree to go straw-free
for one day on July 14

● 2 Points for Gold participants – businesses who agree to go straw-free
for one month

● 3 Points for Platinum participants – businesses who agree to go straw-free
… forever!

Interested in joining in the straw-free fun? Contact us for more info.

*the Last Straw images are created by @fvpaonessa