St. Edward’s University’s catering provider, Bon Appétit, announced a companywide ban on plastic straws last Thursday. They are the first food service company to make this commitment in the USA. In a press release, Bon Appétit said, “in keeping with our promise of ‘food service for a sustainable future,’ Bon Appétit Management Company will ban plastic straws and stirrers companywide in our 1,000 cafés and restaurants in 33 states. The phase out has begun and will be completed by September 2019.”
The environmental impact of single-use plastic straws has been making headlines recently, coupled with images of sea turtles and other marine life choking on these rarely recyclable beverage accessories. Other major companies like IKEA are passing straw bans, while big cities like New York City and Seattle are considering similar moves.