Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How did you calculate the number of straws used by Londoners?

A: A Defra impact assessment estimated that around 4.7 billion plastic straws are consumed in England in each year. If you divide that by the population of London and the length of an average straw, that equates to enough straws being used every day that if you laid them out end-to-end, they would extend across the entire length of the tube network.

Q: Does the campaign discriminate against people who have no choice but to drink through straws?

A: We recognise that some people need to use a straw because of health or mobility issues but, for those people that can, stopping using plastic straws is a simple step they can take to have a positive impact on the environment. The aim of the Straw Wars campaign is to prompt people to think about the green actions they can take to reduce their impact on the environment.

Q: What are the alternatives?

A: There’s lots of compostable or reusable options on the market as an alternative to single-use plastic products. Next time you go for a drink, why not use your own paper, glass, bamboo or stainless steel straw – there’s lots of choices available.