Portland Begins to Embrace the Strawless Life

For the past few weeks, I'v been grabbing my on-the-go iced coffee and neglecting to grab the straw. I haven't just been more forgetful than normal; it's a conscious decision. I figured I'd try it when I saw one of those viral facebook videos in my feed about some influential teenager making a difference and thought, "why *do* I always use a straw to sip my coffee at my desk? I don't at home... why at work?"

And I'll tell you, it makes zero difference. I can see how it might be less convenient if I were en route somewhere, needing a lid and straw to keep from dousing myself in Dunkin', but in this case it's super easy and saves a notable amount of plastic over the long term. Why not?

According to Press Herald, I'm not alone. Portland and the rest of Maine is following the trend of adopting the strawless life, while opting for more sustainable alternatives upon request like metal, bamboo, or corn-based materials instead of plastic.

With such a vibrant food and bar scene, Portland was late to the scene of the country's larger cities moving in this direction, but is sure to catch up fast. With a huge fishing industry and a love for things aquatic, how could you not want to do your part in helping out the ocean wildlife?

For more information on the no-straw movement, its impact, and Maine's involvement, you can check out Press Herald's article here. No straws, no problem, that's what I say!