Cal Poly is taking another step towards its zero waste goal with the replacement of plastic straws throughout campus dining halls.
Campus Dining announced that they are making the switch to compostable paper straws beginning in the 2018-2019 academic year. The move away from plastic straws to a more recyclable alternative helps support the university’s commitment to sustainability as Cal Poly works towards diverting 80 percent of its consumer waste away from landfills by 2020, according to a press release from Campus Dining.
The announcement comes just before California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill on Sept. 20, banning restaurants from handing out plastic straws unless a customer asks for one.
“We are constantly looking for ways to do our part in reducing the campus carbon footprint,” Assistant Director of Campus Dining Russell Monteath wrote in an email to Mustang News. “The paper straws are both compostable and biodegradable, which will help Campus Dining continue to lower our environmental footprint.”
