Hell in the Shell Ditches Plastic Straws
The Greene Turtle Sports Bar and Grille, named in honor of a 110-million-year-old creature, is banning plastic straws to save the turtle. Beginning on World Turtle Day, May 23, the entire empire of 48 East Coast locations is removing straws from its drinks. If you’re drinking at Greene Turtle and want a straw, you’ll get a paper one — on request.
Affinity for turtles sparked the change at the 42-year-old restaurant chain. The first ever Greene Turtle restaurant was born on the Ocean City beach, so investing in the health and prosperity of the ocean is close to the hearts of its owners.
The Greene Turtle is different from other Annapolis restaurants that have made the switch to paper: It has the numerical power of a franchise.
The impact of all 48 locations ditching the deadly plastic could be the force that shifts this movement into overdrive.
“The sheer number of straws was the deciding factor,” says senior marketing director Layla Nielsen. “When we saw how many straws we use throughout our own system, we knew we could make a positive impact.”