Photo: Getty Images/James Leynse
So you're a regular Starbucks person, and you love the iced beverages, well you're going to see something a little different here in your next few coffee runs. The chain announced that they're switching to straw-less lids for iced drinks in company rn stores in the United States and Canada. The only exception? They will still serve their blended Frapps and other drinks that include whipped cream on top with domed lids with straws.
It might not be anything new to you since Starbucks has been testing these for over a year now. But if you haven't seen them in action you will soon because they're hitting stores in the next week or so. They also names them "sippy cups" because they look like the cups little kids use. So why the change? It's all about using fewer single use straws. Starbucks is trying to preven an estimated one billion of them a year from ending up in a landfill. They also say the new lids are mad with 9% less plastic than the tradiditonal flat lid and straw combo
Michael Kobori,chief sustainability officer at Starbucks, explains the strawless lids are “another step in our journey to reduce our environmental footprint.” And if you just can’t imagine sipping on your Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew without a straw, don’t worry, you can still get one if you ask. But they are testing alternatives like compostable straws, so in the future it might not be that green plastic straw you’re used to.