We love spending time with all our customers at their events and parties. We’d like to think our bar services and bespoke cocktails light up the night and bring excitement and joy to all guests. But once the party is over and we’ve called for last round, the clean up begins and we’ve noticed a problem. What may seem like a small problem at first, actually amounts to one of the largest problems facing our earth’s well-being at the moment. At the end of every event, we collect hundreds of plastic straws from the glasses of good memories, and we have to say that it puts a damper on the mood.
The solution? Thirst says “no more” to the use of plastic straws! It’s a pretty easy decision for us to make; being the responsible barmen we are. We would also like to believe that other establishments are taking the same action. Unfortunately, some places are a little harder to convince; this is where you come in. By personally committing to saying no to straws everywhere you go, you’ll help contribute to ending the war on plastic forever. You, the consumer, really do have all the power to initiate change. Need a little more convincing? Check out some of the reasons why we made our decision.
It’s just a little straw…isn’t it?
Your little straw, plus their little straw, plus all their straws. We are a culture that has straws ingrained in our practices. Unfortunately, things tend to add up. The US alone uses enough straws to wrap around the earth 2.5 times a day! That’s 500 million straws a day and 175 billion straws a year. It’s not such a little straw now, is it?
The problem with plastic straws is that they are designed to be used once and thrown away. Never another thought given to where that straw will end up. Plastic straws mostly end up in landfills, and worse still, in our oceans. They have recently discovered microplastics in our mussels. The Guardian have accurately explained this phenomenon, stating that “ the sea is feeding human garbage back to us”. Straws don’t biodegrade over time either. They hang around until some poor unfortunate creature mistakes them for food. Which brings us to our next point.
We Love Sea Turtles
Who doesn’t? The mellow creatures just want to float around our oceans looking cute and trying to catch a ride on the East Australian Current, dude. When straws end up in our waters, they affect the lives of these big and beautiful beings. You may have already seen the horrific videos of sea turtles with straws stuck up their noses. Or the pictures of their digestive tracts becoming blocked with straws and other plastics, which leads to their eventual starvation. We want to end the use of plastic straws, even if it’s only just for the sake of the sea turtles.
More Plastic Than Fish
It is estimated that by the year 2050, there will be more plastic in our oceans than fish. That might make your think twice about a beach vacation. But because you can’t miss out on beachfront sundowners and cocktails in the sand, we urge you to make the change with us. Just this small change makes a big difference to our beaches, our world and ultimately, our lives. So what is the alternative and how can we act to fix this growing problem?
Plastic Alternatives
If you can’t imagine your favourite cocktail without the ability to sip it through a straw, there are alternatives to plastic that are guilt-free. Using paper, glass, bamboo or stainless steel straws is the solution. Not only will you be eliminating your use of plastic straws, but also you will be starting the conversation with others too. The more people educated about the problem, the better! In South Africa, you can get these straws from a variety of different places including:
With our decision in place you can feel better knowing that when you host an event with Thirst, you can party the night away without concern. If you have any questions about our choice to say no to plastic straws, or for any other information, contact Thirst Bar Services today.