Our Last Straw & DC9 Help DC Say Farewell To Plastic Straws
Our Last Straw, the non-profit coalition founded by Dan Simons and Farmers Restaurant Group, recently partnered with DC9 for their second annual pop-up bar concept: Garbage BARge. The purpose: Send plastic straws off with a bang as the DC government begins to enforce their plastic straw ban today, January 1, 2019.
Our team, including the famous turtle that started it all – Our Last Straw mascot, Eddy the Turtle – helped this popular DC restaurant, nightclub, and event venue not only gather remaining straws from other businesses across the district, but also work to educate guests about the environmental and health hazards of plastic straws throughout the pop-up’s duration, which ran from December 21-30.
Farmers Restaurant Group Director of Marketing Operations and Our Last Straw Managing Director said: “We were psyched to engage cocktailers right where they are usually reaching for the straw and remind DC guests, residents, and businesses that enforcement for DC’s is beginning. Many think that straws are too small to matter in the face of the world’s growing plastic problem, but encouraging people to #StopSucking is a conscious, behavioral change for many of us, and as such, one major step in the right direction to reducing our reliance on single-use plastics overall.”
The eco-friendly and educational Garbage BARge had a handful of featured cocktails including Your Last Straw, an invitation to sign the OLS pledge to #StopSucking, and then weave their final straw into the interactive art installation made by Our Last Straw.
City-wide news coverage included the Washington City Paper, NBC, Chesapeake Bay Media, and Eater, all encouraging residents to take their last plastic straw sips before the end of the year.
Starting today, January 1st, the City of DC will begin enforcing their ban on plastic straws so all local restaurants and other businesses dispensing plastic straws will have to transition to compostable options.
(*Image Source: Lauren McGrath at DC9)