Squamish residents may find themselves “sucking less” around town this week, with several local restaurants teaming up to reduce the plastic straws that end up in B.C. landfills.
There’s plenty of beverage selections at Norman Rudy’s Pub, but since the restaurant officially opened in July none of their drinks are available with straws.
General manager Rosanne Scarth said eliminating waste was always a priority for the business.
“With straws, there was a lot of resistance from everyone at the beginning, but it’s the way you explain it. You don’t really need them. We actually don’t have any straws around,” she said.
Scarth jokes that Rudy’s is a “BYOS” establishment – bring your own straw. The rest of the Gibbons group of restaurants are still using them, according to Scarth, but she’s on a mission to prove they aren’t necessary.
Other Squamish businesses are taking note. Mag’s 99, the Knotty Burl and Pepe & Gringo’s have followed Scarth’s lead and pledged to remove straws or only offer them to customers upon request.
Squamish isn’t the first community to take action against the plastic sippers.
A viral video uploaded in 2015 showed the world the environmental consequences of the plastic tube, sparking a global campaign to “stop sucking” and “skip the straw.”
The graphic video, originally posted by a marine biology PhD student, shows a sea turtle with a straw jammed up its nostril. The animal is bleeding and clearly in pain as the biologist struggles to remove the twisted plastic with pliers over the course of the 10-minute video.
The emotional clip has inspired many to eliminate straws where they can.
Diana Frederickson, assistant manager at Mag’s 99, said eliminating straws at the takeout-heavy restaurant was slightly more challenging.
The restaurant serves Pepsi products, so it was necessary to find lids that don’t require straws but still fit the cups. Frederickson and owner Aaron Lawton eventually settled on compostable coffee-style lids that have a small hole in the front for drinking.
“It’s hard for people to get used to drinking pop out of a sippy cup lid, but it’s fine once they learn it’s compostable,” said Frederickson. “It’s basically retraining people. I was an avid straw user too, but I’m slowly learning to go that way.”
Reactions have been mostly positive. Frederickson said one customer was annoyed until the environmental benefit was explained. Another was so excited they immediately posted a photo to Facebook.
“It’s kind of an unnecessary thing, most people don’t need a straw,” said Frederickson. “I encourage other places to follow. It’s hard to train your customers to get used to it, but most people are considerate about the environment and really like the idea.
For those who do rely on straws, including the very elderly, children and some people with disabilities who have limited mobility, other options beyond plastic are available in Squamish.
Kirstin French sells reusable stainless steel straws in her Be Clean Naturally shop on Cleveland Avenue.
The store stocks four different sizes of the straws. French also sells an inexpensive pipe cleaner-like device to keep them clean.
“I wanted them for myself, that’s how it started,” explained French. “There’s all these small things we throw away everyday, and I started paying attention to where those little things were going years ago.”
French said she’s sold hundreds since the store opened three years ago.
She said customers purchasing the steel straws have included local environmentalists and parents of children with Down Syndrome, since using straws can aide facial muscle development.
“I’m super stoked the restaurants are jumping on the bandwagon of not just giving you a straw but only on request. There’s lots of people who still want a straw, so they’re just taking it in their purse,” she said.
