I admit it: while I don’t use straws for any other drink, I love having one in my margarita to drink through and to stir the ice.

But no more. It’s the last straw.

The last plastic straw that is.

I have banished plastic straws from my life because we need to banish plastic straws from the planet. They are so small and light they are almost impossible to recycle but they are so easy to turn down!

American consumers use 500 MILLION plastic straws a day!

Paper straws worked fine when I was growing up, and if you need a straw you can use a paper one or one made form stainless steel!

Leading the charge in getting bars to quit using plastic straws is Azunia organic Tequila, and for National Margarita Day in February 22 or Cinco de Mayo, you too should take up the quest of going without plastic straws.

In 2018, Azunia launched their No Plastic Straws 365 Challenge, and within 6 months,  Azuñia Tequila announced over 33,000 sign-ups by bars, restaurants, and individuals to go strawless or use a reusable straw alternative every day for one year meaning 20,000,000 fewer straws in landfills and oceans.

Today, 18 months into the challenge, their running total –updated weekly — shows

21,646,680 Fewer Straws*

Read more about Azunia here and find recipes.

Here’s ours for

THAT MARGARITA
Azuñia Organic Tequila provided as a sample for my review.

• Fill a pint metal cup with ice.
• Add 1 shot fresh squeezed organic lime juice (we used key limes).
• Add 1/2 shot fresh squeezed organic lemon juice (we used meyer lemons)
• Add 1 shot organic syrup (we used agave)
• Add 1 shot Azunia organic tequila
• Add 1/2 shot orange liqueur
• Add 2 shots filtered water
• Stir rapidly.
• Salt glass rim as desired and pour drink into glass.
• Serve with a reusable stainless steel or compostable paper straw.

To create “The Parting of the Plastic Sea” –an installation pictured in the video below made from 168,000 used plastic straws– volunteers spent six months collecting plastic straws then two weeks cleaning and organizing them. They also collected plastic bags which were used in the infrastructure and for lighting.

As artist Von Wong points out, “If things don’t change by the year 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the sea. While statistics like that can appear daunting and impossible to fight against, it all starts with small simple actions.”

Like saying no to plastic straws on Margarita Day — and every day.