One month into being in office, Donald Trump declared a war on paper straws. Specifically, he barred government entities from further providing paper straws in any of their facilities. My intention with this article is to share facts about straws so readers can better understand why the paper straw symbolizes so much more than an item you drink through.
Plastic straws – what you need to know:
The United States throws away roughly 500 million plastic straws annually. That’s roughly the equivalent of every person in the US using and throwing away roughly 38,000 straws between the ages of 5 and 65.
But after you finish your beverage and throw your straw away, it doesn’t actually go away. You may never see it again, but the planet will. Scientists have determined that a plastic straw can take up to 200 years to break down in a landfill. Seeing as the first plastic straws were invented in 1960, that means that every straw ever produced is still existing somewhere on Earth.
What about incineration and recycling?
Incineration is not the best option for disposing of straws and other plastic waste because when you burn plastic, it releases pollutants into our atmosphere such as microplastics, to bisphenols, and even phthalates… and if the daunting names of these toxins didn’t give it away, they’re not things you want to be breathing in.
As for recycling, many straws are made out of #5 plastic. Though some cities do accept #5 plastic in their recycling facilities, but the straw itself is often too lightweight to make it through the recycling sorter and therefore it gets separated into landfill waste.
Exploring our options:
The best solution to our straw problem is asking yourself if you need to use a straw. Many companies like Starbucks have switched to strawless lids, so cold drink lids look similar to the hot cup lids. Some places like California are even rolling out legislation that prohibits restaurants from providing straws to customers unless requested by the guest! Chances are if you are dining in, you probably don’t actually need a straw.
But, if using a straw is unavoidable, there are plenty of good alternative straw materials that are better than plastic!
The Round-Up: Alternative Straw Options
The Stainless Steel Straw
Pros:
It’s reusable! These straws don’t produce waste because once you have one, you can wash it and reuse it over and over again!
There’s no weird texture. It’s metal, just like forks, spoons, and knives.
Stainless steel is really durable, so it will last a while.
Cons:
You have to wash after each use.
The "Straw" Straw:
"Straw" straws are made out of organic materials such as wheat grass and reeds!
Pros:
Naturally compostable! These are made from organic material that can break down easily!
Texture is comparable to a plastic straw!
The Bamboo Straw:
Pros:
Did you know bamboo is an invasive species in Japan? Utilizing bamboo products actually helps forest health flourish.
Bamboo straws are eusable! Many bamboo straws come with cleaning brushes to reuse like the stainless steel straw.
Naturally compostable!
Cons:
Have to wash them after each use, and though they are reusable, they have a shorter lifespan than stainless steel straws do.
Biodegradable straws (like cornstarch straws)
Some compost facilities accept biodegradable plastic straws. These straws feel very similar to the traditional plastic straw in many ways, but they are eligible for the composter. If you go this route though, check to see if your local facility will break these straws down before investing.
Paper straws!!!
Paper straws get a bad wrap because some paper straw brands get soggy. I admit, when I first tried a paper straw ten years ago, I was super impressed. But innovators have continued to improve the design of the paper straw to make it more resistant to losing its integrity as you enjoy your beverage! Don’t give up on paper yet!
Though paper straws may take a few years to resurface, I hope that this article inspires other alternatives to paper and plastic straws for our government buildings. So even if we can’t have paper, we can hopefully still push to have another alternative that at least isn’t plastic.
Have any of your favorite restaurants, bars, or coffee houses started using alternative straws yet? Pay attention to the wrapper of your straw next time you get one. Or better yet, tell your host or hostess that you don’t need a straw! Comment down below!
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