Gun Lake Casino announced Monday that it will be free of plastic straws by November 1, 2018.
This announcement makes Gun Lake Casino the first tribal casino in the state to announce the removal of plastic straws. Gun Lake Casino will be replacing the straws with a certified compostable straw product, joining many other companies such as Marriott International, American Airlines, and Starbucks in efforts to reduce plastic waste.
“Gun Lake Casino is committed to protecting the environment,” said Sal Semola, president and chief operating officer for Gun Lake Casino. “Removing as much plastic waste as we can is just one way that we are making steps towards a smaller footprint.”
The casino’s three bars, two restaurants, and beverage service throughout the casino floor goes through over 3 million straws each year. In addition to straws, Gun Lake Casino will continue to work on replacing additional disposables with compostable products.
“These new products will allow Gun Lake Casino to reduce our footprint without affecting our guest’s experience,” said Jeremy Palmer, director of beverage for Gun Lake Casino. “While these straws are biodegradable, they will still look and perform similar to other straws.”
Gun Lake Casino’s Harvest Buffet and Sandhill Café servers have already started the practice of supplying straws only when requested. In an effort to reduce all waste, this practice will continue after the switch to biodegradable straws.
