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- Cause
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- AwarenessConservationEnvironment
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- United States
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- Fourth Friday of February
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Skip the Straw Day rallies environmental advocates every fourth Friday in February to reduce plastic pollution. Take action by opting for reusable alternatives, educating others on plastic’s impact, and supporting businesses committed to sustainability.
Want to sponsor Skip the Straw Day? Learn how
Expected Skip the Straw Day Deals
As a Cause holiday, Skip the Straw Day focuses on advocacy and sustainable choices rather than commercial deals. However, many organizations and brands offer ways to support the movement and promote eco-friendly practices. Look for donation matching programs from companies like Patagonia and REI when you purchase reusable straws or bottles, often paired with educational content on environmental impact. Environmental nonprofits such as Lonely Whale and the Plastic Pollution Coalition frequently run awareness campaigns, offering opportunities to pledge support, participate in virtual events, or buy branded merchandise that funds their initiatives. Additionally, many eco-conscious cafes and restaurants may offer special incentives, such as discounts for customers who bring their own reusable cups or consciously decline a straw. We will update this page with confirmed live initiatives as February 27 approaches, highlighting impactful ways to participate.
Platform Guide for Skip the Straw Day
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #SkipTheStrawDay. Share visuals of your favorite reusable straw or a creative way you’re going straw-free.
X/Twitter
Mention @NatlToday and use #SkipTheStrawDay. Tweet about the impact of plastic pollution and simple steps to reduce straw use.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #SkipTheStrawDay. Share articles or host a live discussion on plastic alternatives.
Skip the Straw Day Hero
Milo Cress
History of Skip the Straw Day
In 2017, a group of teenage activists called the Coral Keepers established Skip the Straw Day to recur every fourth Friday in February. Amid frequent and intense conversations about the state of the planet and the potentially fatal effects of plastic waste for creatures in the world’s largest oceans, these high school students from Whitehall, Michigan decided to establish the day in order to educate others about the many biodegradable alternatives to these small but potent cylindrical sippers.
The straw as we know it today was patented by Marvin Stone in Washington D.C. in 1888. While sipping his afternoon mint julep through a grass straw, Stone became dissatisfied with the flavors of vegetation and whiskey mixing, so he decided to wrap a piece of manila paper into a tube for sipping his drink instead.
With the rise of plastic goods (and all other things quick, microwaveable, and processed) in the 1960s, straws graduated from the earth-friendly substance of paper to its far less amicable cousin, plastic. It takes one plastic straw approximately 200 years to decompose back into the earth, which means that every single straw since its invention is still floating around somewhere on the planet to this day.
The Coral Keepers have asked us all to ‘Tip the Glass’ rather than sip through a straw on this holiday, at the very least, and to consider doing away with the beverage accessories altogether, if possible. Not only do these straws give off toxic byproducts when exposed to heat, but they also pose a physical risk to marine life that might try to eat them or they might get stuck in the blowholes or air passages of fish.
Skip the Straw Day timeline
The Friedman Flex-Straw Company is sold to Maryland Cup Corporation, which increases the production of plastic straws and spreads their presence across the U.S.
9-year-old boy Milo Cress starts a campaign called Be Straw Free to spread awareness about this significant source of plastic waste and to discontinue the automatic provision of a plastic straw with beverages in restaurants.
Marine biologist Christine Figgener records herself and her colleagues removing a plastic straw from a sea turtle’s bleeding nostril and the video goes viral on social media.
Michigan’s Coral Keepers establish the holiday to educate others about the pollution potential of plastic straws.
How Businesses Can Celebrate Skip the Straw Day
Local businesses can champion Skip the Straw Day by implementing a ‘straws upon request’ policy or switching to reusable or compostable alternatives. Restaurants and cafes could offer a small discount to customers who bring their own reusable cups or decline a straw. Retailers can highlight sustainable products like reusable straws, water bottles, and tote bags, perhaps hosting an educational event on plastic reduction. Promoting these efforts on social media with #SkipTheStrawDay can also boost engagement and awareness.
Skip the Straw Day FAQs
When is Skip the Straw Day?
In 2027, Skip the Straw Day will be observed on Friday, February 26, marking another opportunity to advocate for ocean health and sustainable habits.
How many plastic straws are used daily?
While precise figures vary, the global consumption of single-use plastic straws remains alarmingly high, contributing significantly to the estimated 8 million tons of plastic entering our oceans annually.
What are the best alternatives to plastic straws?
The market for sustainable straw alternatives continues to grow, offering innovative solutions such as silicone straws for flexibility, or even edible straws made from rice or pasta. Choosing the best option often depends on personal preference and specific use.
Is skipping the straw really effective?
Absolutely. Beyond the direct reduction of plastic waste, refusing single-use straws serves as a powerful symbol, raising awareness and encouraging broader conversations about plastic consumption. It’s a gateway action that often leads to further sustainable choices.
How to Observe Skip the Straw Day
Skip the straw and tip the glass
The message is in the name. This holiday, the best and most altruistic way to participate is to simply ask your waitress or drive-thru attendant to leave the straw off your purchased beverage. If possible, skip excess waste altogether by either washing and recycling your styrofoam and plastic to-go containers, or by dining in and using real flatware that can be washed and reused.
Push for a plastic straw ban in your city
Some cities like Seattle, Washington have banned plastic straws altogether. If you believe in the cause wholeheartedly, take a half-hour to sit at your computer and write an email, or even make a call to the appropriate political representatives. You may also have an active petition in your area available for signing.
Schedule a trash pickup event
This entire day, while mostly centered around straws, has at its core the desire to decrease harmful pollution in our country and the world at large. In order to support this noble cause, schedule a trash pickup with friends and family in your area. Wear comfortable walking gear and bring along a large bag so that you can gather up the garbage on your cities sidewalks and streets and place it in the appropriate receptacle.
5 Facts About Ocean Pollution That’ll Muddy Your Waters
Oil spills aren’t enemy number one
In reality, oil spills make up only 12% of ocean pollution while three times as much oil runs into the ocean from roads, drainpipes, and rivers.
Garbage patches are a thing now
There’s so much plastic pollution in the ocean that garbage patches have begun to form — there are at least five known patches where the motion of the ocean has compacted a large quantity of waste into one small area.
Sounds matter
The sound generated by shipping and military activity harms and disrupts the peaceful sea creatures swimming below the surface.
Some stuff sinks
While there are efforts happening currently to clean the ocean’s surface of floating plastics, a lot of trash sinks to the ocean floor, where it’ll likely never be retrieved as efficiently.
More trash than treasure
With plastic waste being dumped into the ocean at a rate of 17.6 billion pounds per year, it's projected to outnumber fish in the sea by 2050.
Why Skip the Straw Day is Important
Everyone gets a chance to make a positive change
We’re not asking anyone to move mountains on this national holiday — the task at hand is a fairly simple one that won’t disrupt anyone’s life in any extreme way. Tipping the glass and skipping the straw is a fantastic starting point for anyone who wants to begin living a sustainable lifestyle, but feels overwhelmed by the massive amounts of information. Simply passing on a common kitchen utensil is no big feat.
Tipping the glass means we can take bigger gulps
We don’t really understand what made straws so appealing in the first place. By tipping the glass to our mouths, we can take in so much more of our favorite beverages! Whether we’re indulging in a milkshake, refreshing with a soda, or staying hydrated with plain ol’ water, taking a direct sip is so much easier and more satisfying than conforming to the limitations of a straw.
Celebrating keeps the dialogue open
By taking a positive, community-oriented approach to pollution, the Coral Keepers have set us up to have many productive conversations about how we as a city, state, and country can band together to effect meaningful changes in our daily lives with the goal of protecting our environment. What starts as a playful task soon blooms into an educational opportunity on this momentous day.
Skip the Straw Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | February 27 | Friday |
| 2027 | February 26 | Friday |
| 2028 | February 25 | Friday |
| 2029 | February 23 | Friday |
| 2030 | February 22 | Friday |
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