Quakers back straw campaign but say more must be done
Friends support straw campaign but urge bigger and bolder action
Quakers have backed the Evening Standard’s ‘Last Straw’ campaign but called for more action in the fight against climate change. The campaign, initiated recently by the free London newspaper, highlights the environmental damage caused by plastic straws.
Sunniva Taylor, programme manager for sustainability and peace at Quaker Peace & Social Witness (QPSW), told the Friend: ‘Campaigning against plastic straws is a good thing. Small, achievable campaigns can grow. But we must face up to the scale of the crisis. The challenge – and the opportunity – that climate change and pollution presents requires a lot bigger and bolder action too. Friends in Britain Yearly Meeting are motivated by faith and committed to addressing the root causes of climate change: histories of unequal power, economic injustice, and a culture of overconsumption.’
Friends of the Earth have also supported the campaign. The charity made the point that straws are used for twenty minutes on average but take up to 500 years to break down. The organisation has called for the ban to be extended to all single-use plastic.
You need to login to read subscriber-only content and/or comment on articles.