Starting today, you will be hard-pressed to find a plastic straw in Deep Cove.

In an effort to become a plastic-free community, Cove merchants have banded together to stop the straws from coming into the area – with the initiative extending as far north as Mt. Seymour.

article continues below

“Our vision is for Deep Cove to become the Lower Mainland's first zero waste community,” says Room6 owner Megan Curren.

“There really is no excuse for single-use plastic packaging in 2018 given the reality of lack of recycling and the reality of the volume of plastic in our oceans and landfills. We're looking forward to working with the solid waste department at the District of North Vancouver on a pilot project to analyze the waste we're generating as a community.”

Deep Cove Merchants Against Plastic is hosting The Last Straw launch party to spread the word of their green initiative May 7, 7-9 p.m. at Deep Cove Yacht Club. In collaboration with Ocean Ambassadors Canada, the merchants’ group will be screening the documentary A Plastic Ocean.

The award-winning film features Jo Ruxton and free diving champion Tanya Streeter who went on a four-year global odyssey to explore the issue of plastics in our oceans and its effect on marine ecosystems and human health.

All Cove businesses have the same turquoise and white paper straws they will provide if requested from a customer.