Wendy Olmstead, the Manager of Sustainability and Commercial Services said, “We are switching to single-use paper straws to join the global effort of businesses, universities and individuals who are coming together to reduce the purchase of single-use plastic straws.”
Without eliminating or cutting down on plastic use, by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. Many people around the country, including celebrities, are jumping on board to participate in a social media campaign for a strawless ocean.
“I like the paper straws. They do taste a little weird, but plastic straws weren’t helping the environment,” Genesis Chavez (freshman, Kinesiology) said.
And strawless does not mean zero straws whatsoever, it just means no more plastic, not anti-straw, but pro alternatives.
Zach Falcon (sophomore, Kinesiology) said, “At first they taste a little weird on your mouth, because I’m not used to tasting paper really, so it’s a little different. But I don’t know, it’s just something to get used to over time.”
In an even greater effort to get students, faculty and administrators on board to eliminate plastic use, there will be a #StrawlessStan social media challenge.
During the week of September 24-27th, Stan State will be showing a documentary in Main Dining from 10am-3pm every hour. A trailer for the documentary, Straws, can be viewed here. They will also be tabling.
During the social media campaign, Olmstead is asking people to post to their social media accounts with the hashtag #StrawlessStan. Showing them your social media account, with the hashtag featured, enters you into a prize giveaway. There will be items from Klean Kanteen, Simply straws, Chicco bag to-go wear and Ozzi reusable containers.
“This idea actually came from President Junn. So, she became aware that Chico State had been the first CSU to go strawless. Other CSUs have gone strawless since then, but they haven’t done it with as much of a splash as we have,” Olmstead said.
Bradley Robertson, Main Dining Services Director said, “When Wendy approached me and said ‘Well Chico’s doing this,’ you know I’m just naturally competitive, and I don’t want to be following trends. I think that, you know, developing trends here that other CSUs/ Universities are following at Stan is really what our mission in sustainability is.”
“Right now, we have seen a reduction by at least 60 percent in straw usage, just by going to paper straws and requiring them [customers] to ask for them at the register,” Robertson said.
Dining Services currently partners with Aardvark straws for the paper straws that customers are provided with.
Robertson and Olmstead are aware that there are people part of the community that require the use of the plastic straw, so these straws are available upon request.
