In an effort to reduce single-use plastic throughout the world, Natura Cabana Boutique Hotel & Spa has completely stopped the use of plastic straws. We are encouraging our guests to go “strawless”. However, if the use of one is necessary, we have reusable steel straws for our clients and we will provide paper straws for orders to go.
Humans use more than 500 million plastic straws a day, and according to the Strawless Ocean organization, by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish, and plastic straws are just one of the many single-use plastics which end up in our oceans, polluting water and harming sea life. Plastic constitutes 90% of all trash floating in the world’s ocean, and each year 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine animals die from ingesting plastic.
As a result of this frightening future, there is a worldwide movement to stop the use of plastic straws to help reduce the plastic waste in the oceans. Many restaurants and coffee shops around the world have joined said movement, including Starbucks. Back in July, the coffee titan announced “it will eliminate single-use plastic straws in all of its operations globally by 2020” as a high-profile response to the no-plastic-straw movement among environmentalists” (Forbes, July 2018).
Even though our small hotel cannot compare with the impact that any big company can have, every little action counts to make this movement grow and reduce as much plastic waste as possible. And just like us, YOU can help the cause by joining the movement “For a Strawless Ocean” and making simple changes in your daily life one day at a time by following these easy steps:
1. Switch to reusable steel or bamboo straws, or use a paper straw if available
2. Skip the straw completely and sip your drink
3. Get in the habit of asking for no straw before you even order a beverage
4. Accept and challenge someone else to #stopsucking
One simple change like this can lead to a better life for you and everyone else. Today, Natura Cabana is eliminating the use of plastic straws. Tomorrow, we hope to influence others into doing the same. Choose to be straw free!