I keep thinking of little thought snippits I should write, but rarely sit and do it - always something else to do... today I'm doing it!!
At weekends, I work in a restaurant that is very fast-paced (during peak times); the family-run business is eco-nomical conscious but less eco-logical conscious. I take it upon myself to distribute no straws with water, as a rule, and endeavour to ask customers if they require a straw (frustrating word for my English accent, against these Canadian ears!) with their pop/fizzy/soda drinks. Often times this backfires, as they think it's an offer and say 'ooh yes, alright'. Occasionally I explain my attempted eco-warrior vigilante reasoning.
America uses enough plastic straws to fill 27 school buses per DAY - 500 Million per DAY - that's enough to fill the Yankee Stadium 9 times per year.
They are such a luxury and an easy sacrifice.
A town/city half an hour from us had a project earlier this year, where most of the cafes, restaurants and pubs in the area agreed to try a few months straw-less. It was a success and I would love for the same to occur in our lovely little town. I intend to write to the mayor - whom I have met a couple of times, and is very actively involved in the community. But first I feel I should do my research and gather some facts.
Watch this space! (Hopefully I'll return with updates or some other random ramblings!)
In the meantime, please do your part:
* Say NO to straws (request your drink without one)
* Decline plastic bags and RE-USE the ones you have
* Avoid take-out drinks/boxes - try to bring your own (this takes pre-planing and accomodating outlets)
* Re-use water/drink bottles - I would probably pass out with thirst before I accepted a plastic bottle (ok slight exaggeration!)
Remember, I am childfree and truely believe that this is the best time to be alive - technology is amazing, we have unlimited choices, freedom; we have had/seen wildlife and nature in its element... (although there are now 75% fewer insects than 25yrs ago!!), it scares the hell out of me that the future generations are going to have less and less of a good quality of life. My nieces, my cousins' babies, my lovely lovely friends and families having beautiful, intelligent babies. My nannying "job" of love and developing joy and nutrition.... DO THIS FOR THEM!!! and their babies and their babies.
If you haven't watched the video of the turtle having a straw removed from it's nostril, take a look now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MPHbpmP6_I&feature=youtu.be
Some things I found so far....:
The Plastic Straw
https://thelastplasticstraw.org/resources/
https://lifewithoutplastic.com/store/blog/no-plastic-straw-please/
Jan 2017 - Barrie going straw-less:
http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/2017/01/15/explore-lake-simcoe-sustainable-tourism-says-no-to-plastic-straws
Video re: Barrie straw-less
http://barrie.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1037418
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