The Buzz | Starbucks, citing ocean threat, is ditching plastic straws

Starbucks will eliminate plastic straws from all of its locations within two years, citing the environmental threat to oceans. The coffee chain becomes the largest food and beverage company to do so as calls to cut waste globally grow louder. While plastic straws account for a small percentage of the waste that ends up in oceans, they’ve become a flashpoint.

A week after its hometown of Seattle banned plastic drinking straws and utensils, Starbucks said yesterday that by 2020, it will be using straws made from biodegradable materials like paper and specially designed lids.