Straws Initiative for Restaurants

Go Green Northbrook is collaborating with the Shedd Aquarium’s program, #SheddtheStraw, to protect our waters and the animals and plants that call them home.

Why do we want you to care about straws?

      • Nearly 9 billion pounds of plastic end up in our oceans and waterways annually. Plant and animal species are at risk.
      • Avoidance is our best option because plastic straws don’t biodegrade and are nearly impossible to recycle.
      • Mostly out of habit Americans use an estimated 500 million straws daily. Businesses automatically serve straws, feeding our habit.
      • Clean water is a limited resource; we want to do our part to keep plastic out of our beloved Lake Michigan and Chicago River. We want to help you do your part, too.

How can you reduce costs and protect the environment?

      1. Provide straws only upon request. Serve biodegradable straws(e.g., paper or bamboo) when straws are requested.
      2. Cut costs because the overall reduction in straws will outweigh the higher unit cost of biodegradable options for requested straws.
      3. Educate yourself and your employees about the harmful environmental impact of straws.
      4. Talk to your patrons about the positive impact they make by forgoing straws. Have a conversation with your patrons, post a sign on your window or wall or put a flyer on your tables.
      5. Add your business to The Shedd Aquarium’s wall of fame for doing your part to #SheddtheStraw.
      6. Refer to the resources provided below for additional information.

Other Ideas for Reducing Single-Use Plastic

      • Offer plastic bags and plastic utensils for carryout and leftovers only upon request.
      • Swap out plastic carryout containers with compostable or biodegradable options.

Thank You from your friends at Go Green Northbrook!

Resources