Last week, New York City lawmakers introduced a bill banning plastic straws in all bars and restaurants in the Big Apple, joining the growing worldwide war against this environmental scourge . “There are 500 million straws being used everyday in the U.S.,” Councilman Rafael L. Espinal Jr., the bill’s lead sponsor, told NY1 on Thursday. “That’s enough to fill Yankee Stadium five times over.” The 8 million tons of plastic garbage that flows into our oceans every year can easily harm or entangle marine life , which is why it’s important for us to prevent further damage. As Espinal tweeted , “It’s time for us as consumers to protect our planet by weaning off our dependence on single use plastic.” The councilman is right. Skipping the straw , or opting for one of these sustainable options below, is a great way to start. 1. Compostable Straws Marvin Stone invented the original paper straw in 1888. His invention was the go-to choice until plastic varieties became the standard after the 1960s. But there are still many paper varieties on the market today, including Aardvark , which sells durable, compostable paper tubes based on Stone’s original patent. Last September, Aardvark teamed […]
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