Starbucks saves the day with paper.

        Plastic caused pollution is no new topic to us as it is still one of the leading causes of sea pollution and soil pollution. Idols are another cause for water pollution as are immersed with other pollution causing agents like metal, jewelry and flowers. Talking about idols immersed in water, plastic is just as harmful substance as idols that are being disposed of into the water. What makes plastic so dangerous? Is it because it is a poison? The answer is YES! It’s simple — plastic isn’t natural. Although it is derived from petroleum, which is processed from naturally occurring crude oil, plastic does not occur in nature. There’s lots of science behind it, but it mostly involves the chemical bonds of plastic vs. the molecular bonds of organic matter like an apple. Plastic’s carbon bonds aren’t the same as the chemical bonds found in nature, making it harder and more energy-intensive to break them down. Plastic is dangerous because of its indestructability nature. Which means that plastic cannot be destroyed just by throwing it into the waters or dumping it into the ground. Plastics can take anywhere from 20 to 500 years to decompose, depending on the material and structure. 

(Post from "jet d'Encre" https://www.jetdencre.ch/trusting-the-power-of-individual-actions-to-fight-plastic-pollution)

Additionally, how fast a plastic breaks down depends on sunlight exposure. Like our skin, plastics absorb ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, which breaks down the molecules. This process is called photodegradation, and that’s why landfills often expose plastic waste to the sun to accelerate the breakdown process. For example, single-use plastic grocery bags take about two decades to break down. In contrast, plastic water bottles made with polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a common type of plastic, are estimated to take approximately 450 years to fully break down. As it takes such a long time to decompose into the soil or into the water in addition to producing toxins into the environment as time passes, Plastic is something to be handled with care and not to be disposed of without proper procedure and authority. It isn’t always easy to regulate the flow of plastic use in the society, so reducing the usage anywhere possible will have a huge impact on plastic production. Everything cannot be done by the government and thus private companies have to take initiative to reduce plastic usage. And one such company we see now that is trying to take initiative is Starbucks. Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain. As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 countries, 15,444 of which were located in the United States. Out of Starbucks' U.S.-based stores, over 8,900 are company-operated, while the remainder are licensed. Starbucks being such a ginormous MNC, is taking initiative to reduce the use of plastic straws. On July 9, 2018, Starbucks President and CEO Kevin Johnson announced that Starbucks will ban the single-use plastic straws by January 1, 2020, on all cold drinks from all locations worldwide due to climate change concerns, pollution, and sea turtle endangerment as the single-use plastic straws failed to be designed for recycling when they were invented. Frappucinos will get straws made from a different material that is sustainable and environmentally friendly such as paper or compostable plastic, while other cold drinks will get straw-less lids. These new modified lids contain 9% less plastic than Starbucks' previous flat lid. The Starbucks locations in Europe, China, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Canada, Hawaii, Alaska, Washington D.C., New Mexico, California, New York, Washington State, New Jersey, Oregon, Maryland, Delaware, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island already eliminated plastic straws by the end of 2018. South Korea is the first country to introduce paper straws to all stores among 78 countries in the world that Starbucks has entered. 

(Post from "Michael Beausoleil" https://beausoleil.medium.com/starbucks-might-lose-the-war-on-straws-d1f3673af13b)

This is a great achievement for Starbucks and for the people who are supporting the cause and helping others realize the stakes. Many companies are trying to initiate the project after Starbucks for their own benefits like publicity, reputation and etc which are turning up their profits and helping the environment ecologically and economically.