Most iced beverage drinkers associated their chilly drink with a straw…how else are you supposed to drink it? Well, Starbucks plans to eradicate the usage of straws by 2020. This change has been implemented to try to rid the world of 1 billion straws annually. This is an exciting advance and because of it, we’ll see far less plastic in our landfills and oceans. So, it’s time to say goodbye to your beloved straw and welcome the “adult sippy cup” into your life. “Starbucks has settled on an alternative to plastic straw use: the adult sippy cup lid. The lid features a raised lip and will be fully recyclable. Some drinks will continue to have straws, including Frappuccinos, but those straws will be made with either compostable plastic or paper” While some people are having trouble coming to grips with the idea that they’ll soon be sipping straw-free, it’s imperative to realize that these pieces of plastic take 200 years to discompose, so Starbucks’ trailblazing efforts can have a lasting effect. “While eliminating plastic straws globally doesn’t solve the much larger plastic problem, environmentalists hope it will jump-start other individuals’ efforts in eliminating other single-use plastics from their life. It is estimated that 175 million straws are used and then thrown away every day.” The Starbucks helping to forge the way for other brands, this is a step in the right direction for our environment.