1. Home
  2. Blog
  3. No Straw November

No Straw November

Posted by Amanda Hicks on Monday, November 13th, 2017 at 10:25am.

"No Straw November" is a movement by the Jr. Ocean Guardians, an organization started by 16-year-old Shelby O'Neil, whose goal is to spread education about the plastic problem in the ocean. There are 150 million pounds of plastic floating in the ocean right now. Straws are one of the most common pollutants. The goal of No Straw November is to make people aware about how many straws are used and thrown away in a single month. Palm Beach Marriott SInger Island Beach Resort has decided to take part in No Straw November by eliminating plastic straws from their bars and restaurant altogether. Last month on a visit to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, PB Mariott SI general manager Roger Amidon met Shelby O'Neil at the aquarium and the two discussed the organization and movement. Amidon decided to replace the resort's plastic straws with biodegradable paper ones. The changes will be permanent. This is a smart move considering the hotel and accompanying restaurant and bars are right on the beach. Five hundred million plastic straws are used and discarded each year in the U.S. These straws can make their way into our waterways and oceans and be ingested by marinelife. In fact, plastic has been found in 100 percent of sea turtle species. This is a great move the Palm Beach Marriott considering the island is an important nesting spot for sea turtles. Kudos to the resort and hopefully others will follow! If you'd like to participate in No Straw November and track how much plastic you use, click here.

Leave a Comment