Edmonton’s Crum Coffee Bar will no longer be offering single-use plastic straws to its customers. Instead, reusable metal straws are for sale at the till for just under $3.
Crum still has plastic straws, but only hands them out if customers ask for them.
Mila Gossain, co-owner of the coffee shop on Calgary Trail near 46 Avenue, said she was inspired to make the switch after doing some research online.
“I saw video of a [turtle’s stomach after ingesting plastic] and it scarred me,” said Gossain. “Then I thought, [I’m] in an industry that revolves around straws and plastic.”
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“We felt it’s our due diligence to do something about it,” said Gossain.
After making the switch Wednesday, the duo weren’t sure how their customers would react.
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“We were kind of nervous. How do we tell our regular customers we’re no longer popping straws in their drinks?”
But, customers welcomed the switch.
“Edmontonians, you hit them with a concept, explain the situation and they just jump right on board,” said Gossain.
“We were worried we were going to get backlash, but it’s been phenomenal. The reaction — everyone is so positive. People are walking out of Crum Coffee Bar super excited.”
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Gossain attributes the success partly to taking things slow.
“You can’t force [the movement] on to everyone. If you slowly transition people into [this] mindset, it’s so much easier than overnight going ‘no more straws, no more lids, you can figure your own stuff out.’”
She said it proves small campaigns can make a difference.
“We took the risk and we pulled it off, as a local coffee shop. The big chains should be the ones doing it. It’s less risky for them. A customer told us we were making Starbucks look bad.”
Starbucks has committed to eliminating plastic straws within the next two years and introducing strawless lids.
A day after Starbucks announced it is getting rid of all straws by 2020, Boston Pizza said dozens of its Alberta locations would do so within a week. The pizza chain said bio-degradable or compostable straw will only be provided upon a customer’s request.
READ MORE: Northern Alberta Boston Pizza eliminating straws
For the Crum sisters, they hope a small step will begin to change people’s minds about plastic straws.
“Refusing a single-use straw is the easiest way someone can reduce plastic pollution.”
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