National Skip the Straw Day

National Skip the Straw Day is an annual American holiday celebrating the elimination of plastic straws for drinking. This invention can be abandoned in many cases, and drinking from a glass, bottle or tin can will reduce the amount of plastic waste in the world. The holiday is celebrated every fourth Friday in February.

History

National Skip the Straw Day was established in 2017. The corresponding proposal was made by the environmental initiative group Coral Keepers. In addition to numerous lectures and events devoted to reducing the use of plastic in the home, it was decided to find biodegradable alternatives to drinking tubes.

Straws began to appear in 1888. At that time, the corresponding patent was obtained by Marvin Stone, who lived in Washington, D.C. One day he was sipping his favorite alcoholic cocktail through a herbal straw, but he wasn’t thrilled with the herbal taste in his mouth, so he decided to wrap the straw in manila paper. This is how the first homemade straw appeared.

The popularization of plastic in the second half of the 20th century led to the proliferation of plastic straws, which, unlike their predecessor, do not degrade. “Coral Keepers is asking for at least Skip the Straw Day (or better yet, in the long run) to do away with straws, reducing the overall pollution from plastic waste.

Interesting facts

• Plastic waste has been decomposing for centuries, so it is urgent to reduce its volume to preserve the environment for future generations.
• Cocktail tubes are among the top 10 major wastes of mankind.
• Tens of millions of plastic tubes are thrown away each year in the United States.

How to celebrate

Refuse to use plastic straws on National Skip the Straw Day. Learn more online about the Coral Defenders group and the environmental harms of plastic.

Spread the word on social media. Ask other users if they often use plastic tubes.

When is National Skip the Straw Day celebrated in 2024?

National Skip the Straw Day is observed on the fourth Friday in February each year.

Observations