Central Contra Costa’s Last Plastic Straw

At Crestwood Healing Center, a residential mental health facility, Bay Area Green Business, and Pleasant Hill’s 2016 Green Business of the Year, we have made sustainability a priority the past three years. Now, we would like to help our community do the same and are very excited to announce our first sustainability campaign! In partnership with The Last Plastic Straw, a movement aimed at reducing plastic straw usage worldwide, and Sustainable Contra Costa, we are asking businesses and individuals to join us in reducing, and ultimately eliminating, our community’s straw consumption. Why is this important? Because the use of plastic straws hurts our health and that of our co-inhabitants of this planet—straws account for approximately 100,000 marine animal deaths annually and are consistently in the top 10 articles of plastic pollution. Fortunately, we all have the power to help, consumers and businesses alike!

Want to join as a business?

Sign up for our The Last Plastic Straw Competition! It begins on May 1st, 2018 and will conclude 5 months later. You will be asked to pledge to either only provide straws upon customers’ requests or discontinue the use and purchase of plastic straws altogether. The winning business will be determined by the largest average monthly straw purchase reduction and will receive a plaque and publicity in local newsletters honoring their achievement. Participating will not only be a way to contribute positively to a healthier community, but it is also good business. In a world where there is an increasing consumer trend toward sustainability, it is especially important that businesses incorporate a “greener” approach. Studies show that when a business participates in sustainability practices, employee recruitment and retention, employee job satisfaction, and positive opinions about a company and their management all improve. . If you would like to join the hundreds of businesses nationwide that are reducing their plastic straw waste and participate in our competition, please let us know as soon as possible!

Want to join as an individual?

As consumers, the choices we make every day have an impact! Here are a few ways that you can join The Last Plastic Straw movement:

• Say NO to the straw or buy a reusable alternative (stainless steel, bamboo, etc.) that you can bring with you
• Take the pledge today to show your support for a plastic straw free community! http://www.plasticpollutioncoa...
• Follow our Facebook page: Central Contra Costa’s Last Plastic Straw
• Leave cards at restaurants encouraging them to help end plastic pollution: https://thelastplasticstraw.org/volunteer/individual/.

Please contact Crestwood Healing Center’s Sustainability Coordinator, Chloe De Lancie, with interest and questions. Email: cdelancie@cbhi.net; phone: 925-938-8050 ext. 14346.