Straws have been in the news lately as several companies are banning the plastic variety from their establishments and cities are pledging to eliminate them altogether. I read that almost 80% of litter in oceans is made up of plastic and straws contribute to that total. There is that viral video showing a poor sea turtle with a straw stuck up his nose and that became a wake up call for countries of the world, leading to an awareness of the problem and the need for action.
I'm not a big straw consumer to begin with but do use them occasionally, at restaurants, in cocktails or milkshakes. I am certainly more aware now and will no longer accept them. At home, I have had a stainless steel straw for about 3 years. I purchased it from a health food store (very inexpensive) and keep it in my cup for middle-of-the-night water sips when I'm too asleep to try to find the drink in the darkness!
The stainless steel straw is permanent. It is easily washed and works as it should; mine has the bend at the top and if a straw is needed, this one suits the bill. I suppose if one had to take the metal straw on the road for some reason (disability, teeth sensitivity, etc.) it could be a little messy but I imagine you could tuck it in a bag or make a little fabric pouch for it.
Anyway, it is good to raise awareness about the problem and eliminating straws from my life is an easy way I can help contribute to the solution. I do have an old box of straws in my kitchen drawer and am not sure what to do with them now. They cannot be recycled and the garbage bin means they end up in the landfill.
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