Miami Beach Has Banned Plastic Straws

By Kyle Munzenrieder Fri., Apr. 20 2012 at 11:18 AM

Categories: News

Sorry sippers, Miami Beach has banned plastic straws from the beach. Yes, to cut down on litter on the beach, the city commission amended an ordinance last week that could result in fines of $50 to $500 over straws. Don't worry though, the ban is aimed at beachfront hotels who serve drinks with straws, and you're still free to use straws in whatever legal ways you please. Just make sure you dispose of them properly. The ban is now just waiting for the mayor's signature.
Local 10 reports that dozens and dozens of straws a day are left behind on the beach. The plastic tubes aren't biodegradable, and are usually too small to be caught by beach sifters. They also present a threat to marine life if they drift into the ocean.

Though, areas of the beach in front of private condominiums and parks (like the area between Fifth and 15th Streets) tend to be straw-free. The biggest offenders are tourists who order drinks on the beach directly from their hotels. So the commission has reached out to hotels to inform them of the new ban.

"It is a huge burden on our ecological systems. So, people may say this is sort of silly, 'Big deal, you're banning straws.' But at the end of the day, we're taking a step in the right direction to leave a better world for our children. To make sure our environment, our ecology, is better off for it," Commissioner Jorge Exposito told Local 10.

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Tags:

Miami Beach, plastic straws

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Count L.F. Chudzikiewicz herb.

I was told Jorge Esposito was the "class act" amongst the 7 members of the Miami Beach City Commission! I mean this bunch of crooked, stupid, low rent clowns is considered, yes, "considering" having UNLEASHED DOGS in a city park where CHILDREN PLAY! I mean unleashed dogs in a warm climate is an invitation for, well, you know, but this bunch, after collecting from bribes, payola, harassing local citizens who ask questions about the endless money (remember they have spent 55 Million already on "soft costs" for a renovation of the Miami Beach Convention Center they haven't approved yet) spent on useless contracts for the Mayor's daughter or even for one of the Commissioners, wants to have more dog you/know/what by children, and now "to clean up" the "class act" amongst them wants to ban plastic straws! Have you ever heard of a more WORTHLESS bunch of people over 2l?

Cainm01

This type of environmental awareness MUST be integrated into school curricula. Positive environmental ethics must be introduced early. As an educator this will make more of a difference.

Starfish

Biodegradable paper straws here http://www.etsy.com/shop/shabb...

Starfish

I agree No plastic straws!Time to stock up on your vintage inspired paper straws, biodegradable~earthfriendly, made in the USA,in such pretty colors!! http://www.etsy.com/shop/shabb... Go Green!!

Ugly energy hog

LED billboards use 50 to 200 times more electricity than traditional static billboards. Think powering a small office building on top of a pole? Now place these energy hogs designed to distract drivers on the 5th Street Causeway.

Has someone told the public what is proposed?

RWFG

Just so you know, most plastic ends up in the ocean, where sunlight breaks it down, which then eventually sinks and is buried by sediment, and eventually becomes rock ...which will eventually be subducted into the earth's mantle.

Now you can miss the garbage can, and not feel so bad.

Miami Beach visual distraction

Drinking straws are one thing. LED billboards on the 5th Street Causeway aimed at Miami Beach traffic? That makes Miami Beach look third world.

Ban LED billboards

The Mayor of Miami Beach should object to the 2-3 proposed LED billboards promoters want to install on the Charter School on Watson Island. Those LED billboards are only going up to distract drivers and tourists going to South Beach. They are visual pollution.

Drake Mallard

to miami beach Why don't you just shove a leash up my as s?

Drake Mallard

Gee, should I have the T-bone steak or the jumbo rack of barbecued ribs with the side order of gravy fries?" I WANT high cholesterol. I wanna eat bacon and butter and BUCKETS of cheese, okay? I want to smoke a Cuban cigar the size of Cincinnati in the non-smoking section. I want to run through the streets naked with green Jell-o all over my body reading Playboy magazine. Why? Because I suddenly might feel the need to, okay, pal? I've SEEN the future. Do you know what it is? It's a 47-year-old virgin sitting around in his beige pajamas, drinking a banana-broccoli shake, singing "I'm an Oscar Meyer Wiener"

bigken79

LMFAO...Denis Leary at his best.

Drake Mallard

This is America! I want a bowl of raw red meat, right now! Forget that! Bring me a live cow over to the table! I'll carve off what I want and RIDE THE REST HOME!

Denis Leary