Kids Team Up With Montauk Businesses To Save Environment

MONTAUK, NY — It was the last straw for Montauk School students who, fed up with the impact of plastic pollution on the environment, are imploring local businesses to begin utilizing paper straws.

The fourth graders are hoping to garner support for the initiative, which would aim to eliminate plastic drinking straws from Montauk food establishments.

They asked the Montauk Chamber of Commerce for help, the Chamber said in a release.

“Such a simple environmental idea but so impactful for our community waterways and marine life made sense to us, so the Chamber helped the students email an announcement letter asking our business members to support their plan,” Laraine Creegan, the chamber’s executive director, said.

Jennifer Meadows and Greg Donahue of Montauk teamed up with the kids to kickstart a cooperative movement, “The Last Straw,” that would make paper straws available to all interested Montauk businesses at an affordable price.

A second letter emailed Monday proposes that businesses join forces, utilizing their buying power to decrease the price of a more sustainable, biodegradable, individually wrapped 7.75 inch paper straw, the release said.

“This can start slowly with just straws but we can see it growing very quickly to include the elimination of all types of plastic — cups, to-go containers, flatware, and more,” Creegan said. “Let's all work together to make Montauk plastic free and even more environmentally conscious, starting with our Chamber members.”

Montauk businesses owners that would like to purchase paper straws can get a case price and place an order by providing their business name, a contact phone number, and total case amount to thelaststrawmtk@gmail.com.

Citizens wishing to donate a case or two to the cause should use the email, Creegan said.

Patch courtesy photo.