WHY NOSTRAW?
Somewhere in the last few decades, people have come to expect a straw in every drink, whether you're in a restaurant or getting a to-go drink from your favourite drive-thru. This is automatic. How did this happen? Straws were specifically created for disabled people who need them, and they should be used for this purpose. Those who are not disabled surely do not need a straw just out of habit, just for the sake of having one. Think back. Did you every truly need a straw to enjoy a beverage?
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These minuscule things, such as a straw in your drink are taken for granted. It does not require a huge lifestyle change to take the NoStraw Pledge, but we still find it hard to change. Straws don't make a huge difference in our daily lives, nor do we think that straws alone can make a huge difference in the environmental problems faced due to plastic pollution. In fact, straws only make up just 0.025% of plastic trash by weight and 4% by piece. But going NoStraw is in fact a big step in fighting plastic pollution. Let us tell you why.
OUR MANDATE
Global change starts locally.
At NoStrawOttawa, we are driven by a single goal: to do our part in making the oceans a cleaner place.
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We believe that when one person decides to go NoStraw, it can change their whole mindset. Yes, in the big picture, straws are seemingly insignificant but they have the ability to get people thinking, to start changing mindsets around this consumer culture we have built. It starts with one straw, but eventually it will be something much much bigger.
WHAT WE DO
Awareness is the strongest tool.
NoStrawOttawa encourages local businesses to switch to eco-friendly straw alternatives (read more about straw alternatives here). When a business makes a NoStraw commitment, they go on our list of NoStraw Supporters and receive a poster stating their commitment. We also advertise these businesses through social media.
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Awareness is our most important initiative. We always welcome the opportunity to speak at a school or at one of your events. Even though businesses are starting to change their plastic policies, individuals have the power to say No to Plastic too.
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