*By Justin Chermol*
Starbucks announced plans on Monday to elimate the use of plastic straws by 2020, making it the largest company yet to undertake the green initiative.
The coffee chain will transition to new lids which feature a raised lip to drink from, a design already being used for some of the company’s cold brew drinks. The new lids will begin rolling out this fall in Canada as well as in Starbucks’ home city of Seattle. For those customers who insist on straws, the company will offer eco-friendly versions made of paper or compostable plastic.
Starbucks stated this policy will cut the number of plastic straws used by one billion per year -- the proliferation of them has contributed to devastating ocean pollution and threatens marine life.
Local governments across the United States initially spearheaded the plastic-strawless movement. Just last week Seattle banned both plastic straws and utensils. Some of America’s largest cities like New York and San Francisco have proposed plans to remove plastic straws as well.
Austin Graff, founder and CIO of Opal Capital in Austin, Texas, offers his take on why stocks opened higher Wednesday, saying investors appear tentatively optimistic about regulatory actions being taken around struggling banks, even as they remain worried about the long-term consequences of federal action on the sector. "
Credit Suisse violated a plea agreement with U.S. authorities by failing to report secret offshore accounts that wealthy Americans used to avoid paying taxes, U.S. lawmakers said Wednesday.
Honda is recalling more than 330,000 vehicles because heating pads behind both side-view mirrors may not be bonded properly, which could lead to the mirror glass falling out and increase the risk of a crash.
PepsiCo just unveiled a new nostalgic logo, and it might look familiar to long-time fans of the bubbly beverage. The new logo is a slightly modified version of the one last used in the 1990s.
U.S. highway safety regulators have opened yet another investigation into problems with Teslas, this time tied to complaints that the seat belts may not hold people in a crash.
Kia McCallister-Young, director of America Saves, joined Cheddar News to explain key differences to consider when making a choice between a credit union and a bank. "You want to do your research and know exactly how to gain membership to a credit union," she said, "but, again, banks often are able to be more accessible and be in neighborhoods."
