Sluuuuurp! Getting To The Bottom Of The Plastic Straw Debate

As cities and companies — including Starbucks — move to oust straws in a bid to reduce pollution, people with disabilities say they’re losing access to a necessary, lifesaving tool.
As cities and companies — including Starbucks — move to oust straws in a bid to reduce pollution, people with disabilities say they're losing access to a necessary, lifesaving tool.
As cities and companies — including Starbucks — move to oust straws in a bid to reduce pollution, people with disabilities say they’re losing access to a necessary, lifesaving tool.
As cities and companies — including Starbucks — move to oust straws in a bid to reduce pollution, people with disabilities say they're losing access to a necessary, lifesaving tool.

Sluuuuurp! Getting To The Bottom Of The Plastic Straw Debate

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There’s a new front in the Straw Wars and it’s taking place at the world’s most popular coffee house chain. This week, Starbucks announced it will phase out its disposable plastic straws in all its 28,000 stores around the world by 2020.

The move follows Seattle’s total ban on plastic straws and utensils amid growing concern and awareness about how these little plastic drinking tubes are wreaking havoc on the environment- specifically our water world.

So how big is the problem? When did plastic straws take over the world? And can they and should they be totally eliminated?

Morning Shift takes a look at the impact the ban could have on businesses going forward.

GUESTS: Jennifer Dunn, research associate professor and director of research for the Northwestern Argonne Institute of Science and Engineering

Megan Kashner, clinical professor of private-public interface and director of social impact for the Kellogg School of Management

LEARN MORE:

A Brief History of How Plastic Straws Took Over the World (National Geographic 7/6/18)

Starbucks Is Ditching Plastic Straws. Here Are 3 of the Most Common Alternatives (Time 7/9/18)