Do you use a straw? Here's what to know about Ontario County's 'Every Sip Counts'

CANANDAIGUA, NY – Officials with the Ontario County Department of Sustainability & Solid Waste say as many as 390 million plastic straws are thrown away every day in the U.S.

And those straws, they said, take as long as 200 years to break down.

As part of an ongoing effort to get residents to reduce waste sent to the Ontario County Landfill and recycle more, officials are stirring up an effort to reduce the use of plastic straws locally.

That explains the launch of a new initiative tied to National Skip the Straw Day, which is Friday, Feb. 24.

'Every Sip Counts'

From 2 to 4 p.m. Friday at New York Kitchen, 800 S. Main St., Canandaigua, residents, businesses and other visitors will be able to learn more about the campaign and receive educational materials as part of Every Sip Counts.

The initiative is not a ban; a few years back, Canandaigua City Council floated the idea of prohibiting plastic straws but the proposal never made it to law.

Instead, participating local establishments, like New York Kitchen, are not required to get rid of straws entirely but instead are asking customers to request a straw instead of being provided one automatically. Some restaurants have already transitioned to paper straws or implemented an opt-in approach.

Many residents in the county already value the region’s environmental health and have adopted behaviors like skipping the straw or using reusable utensils when they are out, stated Carla Jordan, director of the Ontario County Department of Sustainability & Solid Waste Management.

“Every Sip Counts is a great way for businesses to show their customers that they value it too, by helping reduce the use of single-use plastics in their establishments,” Jordan stated. “In addition to the positive impacts on sustainability, deterring straw usage has other benefits like reducing operating costs.”

Here’s how it works

The Department of Sustainability has created tools and resources to help establishments implement this policy and promote it to their customers.

Local businesses that are interested in joining the initiative can get access to free things like window decals, table tents, and pins by committing to implement the opt-in policy with their customers.

The educational materials will be available for pickup during the kickoff event Friday or at the Department of Sustainability’s Office upon advanced request.

Sustainability is one of New York Kitchen’s core values, and is thrilled to champion the Every Sip Counts initiative alongside the county, New York Kitchen Executive Director Alyssa Belasco stated.

“We invite others to join us in straw-reduction efforts by simply shifting to providing straws upon request, and collectively, these efforts will help to reduce our carbon footprint,” Belasco said.

For more information

The straw-reduction effort is just one part of the ongoing waste diversion efforts of the county. The Department of Sustainability & Solid Waste Management provides information and resources to support residents in their recycling and waste reduction efforts throughout the year.

For more information about Every Sip Counts, how to sign up as a business, and other recycling related questions, visit ontariocountyrecycles.org or call 585-393-3090.

This article originally appeared on MPNnow: Ontario County to residents: 'Skip the Straw.' Here's what to know.