Starbucks ditching plastic straws out of environmental concerns

SEATTLE, Washington -- Starbucks, citing the environment threat to oceans, will ban plastic straws from all of its stores globally in less than two years.


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The company becomes the largest food and beverage company operating globally to do so.
Starbucks said Monday that it is making available a strawless lid at 8,000 stores in the U.S. and Canada for certain drinks.

Starbucks Coffee Co. estimates the switch will eliminate more than 1 billion plastic straws a year.
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The company's announcement comes a week after it's hometown, Seattle, banned single-use plastic straws and utensils at businesses that sell food or drinks in the city.

Starbucks said cold beverages in which a straw is typically included make up 50 percent of the drinks its sells, up from just 37 percent five years ago.