More Delaware businesses are joining the anti–plastic straw revolution

The plastic straw has been an increasingly hot topic over the last year, especially in coastal states like Delaware. How much harm can a little straw do? When thousands of tons of plastic straws wind up in the ocean every year, the answer is quite a bit. Ocean conservationists say all those plastic straws, in addition to being a non-biodegradable mess, harm marine wildlife.

And they’re not a necessity. Even if you really, really have to have that morning smoothie.

Last spring, a student in the Dual School program successfully convinced a few restaurants on Main Street in Newark to adopt paper straws as an alternative to plastic, a grassroots campaign supporting the passage of a Delaware Green Amendment.

Today, Starbucks announced it would be plastic straw–free by 2020. Plastic is officially out.

None of this means that you’ll have to give up on the straw altogether (though many restaurants have stopped giving them out automatically).  There will still be straws, they’ll just be biodegradable, and even edible — pasta straws, anyone?

Delaware Way blogger Nancy Willing has made a list of Delaware businesses that are ditching the plastic straw, from Dewey Beach to Wilmington. It includes some of the states most popular places, including Dogfish Head Brewpubs, Harry’s Savoy Grill, Rusty Rudder, Kid Shelleen’s, Deer Park Tavern and Pizza by Elizabeth’s.

See the full list here — and expect it to grow.