We get it: when it comes to the environment, plastic straws suck. But as states, cities, and big brands rush to ditch single-use plastics, people with disabilities are getting left behind. 

Straws are literally a lifeline for children, the elderly, and people with disabilities without the arm strength or motor skills to lift and drink from a glass. The alternatives don’t always work: paper straws break down under hot liquids, and the burden can’t be on people with disabilities  to carry metal straws everywhere they go just to be able to eat in public. 

But restaurants can provide customers reusable metal straws that can then be collected, washed, and reused—providing a solution that’s accessible for everyone and that won’t clog the oceans with plastic waste.  

Starbucks recently became the largest corporation to commit to fully phasing out plastic straws. That’s why we’re asking Starbucks to be a leader for accessibility and commit to a reusable straw plan that will cut waste without excluding customers with disabilities.   

People with disabilities needs can no longer come as an afterthought—and Starbucks has the power to help set a new industry precedent by prioritizing accessibility alongside waste reduction. 

We’ve come together to hold Starbucks accountable before—like when 250,000 of us helped push Starbucks to adopt a stronger palm oil deforestation policy. Now, it’s time to channel that same energy to make sure Starbucks meets the needs of its customers, and help to set a new industry precedent in the process.