Magrilla's battles plastic straw pollution one sip at a time.

Harrison Thorp 7:30 a.m.


Magrilla's battles plastic straw pollution one sip at a time.

Scott Marshall of Magrilla's says it's time to cut the cord with the straw. (Rochester Voice file photo)

ROCHESTER - One Rochester restaurateur is putting his money where his mouth is when it comes to battling for cleaner oceans and lakes.

Scott Marshall of Magrilla's restaurant on Hanson Street announced on Saturday that the restaurant and bar would be offering 10 percent off any drink that would usually use a straw if the patron goes without (except Happy Hour)."

"People don't realize the effect that straws have on the environment," Marshall said. "They are so used to sitting down and having a straw in their drink and never think twice about it. So we're going to try to spread awareness."

Relatively small and unobtrusive as trash, straws often never make it into recycling bins.

And while they amount to a tiny fraction of ocean plastic, their size makes them one of the most insidious polluters because they entangle marine animals and are consumed by fish.

According to the most current numbers, Americans use some 500 million straws daily.

Other straw facts:

They are the 11th most found trash in the ocean.

It takes up to 200 years for a plastic straw to decompose.

They cannot be easily recycled. The plastic used in straws can't go in your weekly recycle bin and not many facilities are able to recycle them.

Each year 1 million Sea Birds and 100,000 Marine Animals die from ingesting plastic.

The Last Straw is a movement based out of Berkley, Calif., that educates the public on Bio Plastics, Marshall said, and he's all for it.

"Magrilla's is supporting the Last Straw," Marshall said. "Beginning on May 20 Magrilla's will be offering straws by request only."