Don't Buy Plastic Straws, Instead Try

from The Vinyl Visionary

If I have learned one thing from the blog's September Mission to Cut Out Plastic Straws, it is that people really love their straws. LOVE their straws. And that there are lots of times where a straw makes a whole lot more sense than not. Though I can dream of a perfect world where no one uses straws, that would also have to be a world without toddlers, hospital patients, and people with super sensitive teeth, among many things. And this blog advocates for a lot of things, but eliminating toddlers is not one of them.

So, if you are a big straw user, what do you do?

My mom carries a cup while she works, and she says that now she tries to use the same plastic straw for the week to cut down on her plastic usage. That's awesome! Except that sometimes these straws grow mold. Not awesome. Those bendy spots on the straws may save us from the agony of moving our head or our glass, but they are also liquid traps, so the longer you use them, the grosser they get. 

But Mom wants to cut down her straw use, so we looked at what other options she has to keep in her office and use during her work day. 

Most "Don't Use" posts can point to a specific company who is profitting off of poor labor practices, wasting fossil fuels, and taking advantage of Americans while marketing their "Americaness." This may seem different, because straws are free! 

Right? Wrong. 

Restaurants pay for straws, and that cost is factored in with all the costs in prices. Every time you use one, you speed up the time until the restaurant has to order more straws. So they are absolutely making someone money. But they have to sell a lot to make money, which might be part of why straws seem necessary/unavoidable now.

Need more proof that straws are making someone money? Let me introduce you to the plastic lobby- a gaggle of shockingly tough gems who are actively fighting to keep plastics in the mix, no matter how destructive and toxic they are. They fight plastic bag bans and straw initiatives like this one all over the country. Companies like Dow Chemical (one of the largest creators of plastics) fund the lobby to fight government initiatives, and they are surprisingly successful. This doesn't even include the horrors of bottled water and its advocates, but we can cut these companies off at the knees by just refusing their product. 

Some kickass people are turning down straws at every turn, and I love that. Amazing people like my Mom are cutting down their straw-usage by reusing- that is so important too. But I would rather my mom doesn't get mold-filled Diet Coke every day, so what other options exist? 

A plastic disposable straw might not cost you money, but that massive pile you will throw away is going to cost you, the environment, and future generations. The good news? At relatively low cost, you can cut out the straw forever. 

1. Just Say No- When you can, just pass on the straw. Saying no costs 0 dollars, and you may just get used to it. I will grant that there are people and times that really call for straws, but self-assess- is this really one of them? Are you suffering without a straw? We are all used to cheap and easy, but we also know it is costing us, so sometimes it's better to just pass.

ALSO, I have a toddler, so I understand that kids drinking out of glasses is a (very messy) pipe dream. At the same time, I now own a small army of sippy cups at home. When we go out to eat, I try to bring one with me so we can turn down the cup for him. We just pour some of our water in and throw it in the dishwasher when we get home. BAM! One less straw headed to the landfill. It's a weird habit to start, but it catches on easily enough. 

If you need straws, think about reusable options so you can still turn down that disposable plastic straw:

Hummingbird Glass Straws on Amazon

2. Glass Straws- I will be honest with you- I didn't even know this was a serious thing, but here they are! And they are eco-glorious. Made with glass, in America, these Hummingbird Glass Straws are total gems and a perfect fit for someone like my mom, who just needs a stash of straws at work for her diet coke. Might be great if you are a smoothie drinker at home (because nothing says "healthy breakfast drink" like sipping it out of a toxic chemical straw).

They have a bunch of options (including bent straws) and groupings, most of which include a cleaning brush, so look around before you buy. You can also look at options from Glass Masters Glass Straws (also amazing), Icosa Living, Straw Grace, or Alink (not as great, but still!).

Tranquilo from Amazon

3. Paper Straws-  Will they last you a week? No, probably not, but if you want to throw a party with milkshakes or you are a restaurant that wants to replace your plastic (God bless you if that is the case), paper straws are biodegradable, create no more waste, and are 100% the answer. I dream of a world where my kids think paper straws are the norm, and plastic straws are weird. My favorite paper straws are these ones from Tranquilo- not only are they biodegradable and made in the USA, the company also supports efforts to clean up our overpolluted oceans. Also, they have pirate straws.

If you want disposable straws, buy these ones! Are they as cheap? No, but they do 10000 times more good per straw, so I think this is a spot where it is worth it. 

Zicome from Amazon

4. Metal Straws- The best thing about these is that you can get one with a cute little brush that keeps these bad boys clean. So we ordered some of these Zicome metal straws that still have the bendy neck and come with a straw cleaner she can keep at work too. I also like that these would be tough enough to live in a purse. Simple and easy without adding to landfills.

Lots of options here too! Try Ehme, Accmor, Eco at Heart, and Chuzy Chef.

5. Silicone Straws- They do have reusable plastic straws as well, but honestly, I wouldn't recommend them. If you are going to go with a reusable straw, at least get something that won't be leaching chemicals into your drink and your mouth in a month or two. I couldn't find domestically-made silicon straws, but they are still a better option than plastic. Some options? Softy Straws, Housavvy Straws, and Green Paxx straws. 

And you thought plastic disposable straws were the only answer! Clearly there are all kinds of other amazing straws to use, and even if you love straws, you don't have to support the plastics lobby to enjoy your drink. You got this. Be sure to check out the other "Don't Buy, Instead Try" posts and all the other eco-friendly shopping ideas on my Giant List of Shopping Lists! 

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Say No to Straws September

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

This month on the blog, we are going to focus on bringing down the plastic straw. We certainly aren't alone in this mission, and for good reason. There are three plastic items that are especially pointless in our daily life, yet they are chief villains in polluting the oceans:

1. Plastic Shopping Bags
2. Plastic Water (and other drink) Bottles
3. Plastic Straws

Earlier this year, a study projected that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. The ocean water should be a habitat for sustainable food and biodiversity on this planet. Sadly, with these plastics taking over (a dump truck of plastic EVERY MINUTE), babies born this year won't see an adulthood where fish are safe to eat. This is horrifying and tragic; is this really the best we can do for the next generation? Is the convenience of these items worth it for our oceans to look like this:

from the amazing Common Dreams

Don't let these daunting numbers scare you- we aren't helpless. Positive changes are happening So many groups and organizations are fighting to prevent this horrible prediction.Check out The Plastic Pollution Coalition who is fighting plastic pollution and their lobbyists on a global scale, looking into microbeads where they are still legal (and poisoning fish) and helping all these smaller groups connect.

Joining The Last Plastic Straw totally changed my perspective on my own impact using plastic straws, bottles, and bags. Join this group. It not only fights to minimize straws on a political and business level, but this California-based group really shows how one person can make a huge difference by changing their everyday choices. They challenge restaurants to:

- Only serve biodegradable straws
-Only serve straws when asked
- Stop serving straws all together

This doesn't seem like a lot to ask, but if they complete their goal of reaching restaurants all over the country, they could totally cut Big Plastic off at the knees and save literally millions of straws from the water EVERYDAY. They are making progress daily, but join up and you can help too!

Not everything is a huge undertaking- check out Activist Abby, who is organizing plastic clean ups around the Great Lakes. Read her story- even as a young teenage girl, she was attacked by the plastic lobby with the intent of preventing plastic bag bans. She fought back, got 173,000 signatures and won. As a teenager. Activists can only succeed with your help, so even if you can't get out there and clean up, locating amazing people like these and having their back can help change the world.

Want to sign against big plastic right now? Back up Californians trying to get the plastic bag ban though!

With all of this effort, things should be improving, right? Wrong. 

They are making progress, but they are fighting the rush of plastic's momentum. Big plastics lobby for the plastic bags. Restaurant continue to serve straws with every drink (as if grown adults couldn't possibly life their drink). And worst of all, we continue to consume as if we aren't part of the problem.

We are the biggest part of the problem, my dears. They couldn't get away with it if we weren't so attached to these easy plastics. If your children and grandchildren live in a world of all dirty water, it will be your fault. Not just your fault, but a shared fault. A debt we add to every time we choose these plastics.

Now, I know this is harsh, but it is true.

This blog intentionally tries to keep the "environmentalist" bar low. You don't have to buy all hemp clothes and turn off your electric to count as caring about the environment, but you do need to acknowledge your daily shopping, consuming, and tossing of waste do add up to a real effect on the environment. If we all push to make small changes, they will add up and we can change a lot of negative environmental momentum, minimize waste, and send the message to companies that it is worth their investment to do the right thing. None of us can save the world on our own, but if we all do a little, our stewardship will have incredible effects.

So I am not going to shame you, but if you care AT ALL about this Earth, then let's call this the bare minimum effort. We all can do the Bare Minimum with nearly no inconvenience or personal cost. These three items- bottles, bags, and straws, should be cut from your consumption diet.

Try cutting your straw use in half. Then cut that in half.

So why are straws so bad? Is this really worth the battle?

Oh, yes, they are truly awful.

First, in our individual lifetimes, we will make a larger volume of trash from our straws than we will from cars. So think about your car. Now fill it with straws. You will throw out more straws than that in the time you drive that car.

Second, straws are especially hard to clean up, because they are so small. You can read a lot about effort to clean the oceans, especially on the coasts which are starting to look like this:

from triple pundit.com

We need these efforts to clean the oceans to succeed for our children's future and health, so if straws make it much worse, we need to stop the incredible volume being poured into the oceans.

Third, straws are deadly to wildlife. Have you seen the turtle video? Tell me you can get through this thing and still drink from plastic straws.

Need more motivation? Join facebook groups like The Plastic Pollution Coalition and The Last Plastic Straw. Seeing how much some areas are realy facing down plastics and MAKING PROGRESS gets me excited to do more myself.

So what can we do?

from the Ocean Conservancy

This month, I am on a mission, and I want you to join me. This is the plan.

1. When you are out to restaurants and order a drink, just ask "No straws please." I am taking the No Straw Challenge, and I am taking it seriously. Please click the link and join me.

Don't even let them leave them at the table, because servers and bussers will just toss them in paper wrappers. If you need a straw for something you drink, bring one with you.

2. Pick 5 restaurants you love but that use plastic straws, and tell them to stop- Write them a review on Yelp or a note on their facebook page, and ask them to stop serving drinks with plastic straws. You can encourage them to stock paper straws instead, but let them know you think this is a flaw in your business plan. I am going to write a restaurant a letter every day, but you do what works for you. No business will change an approach if they think it is working. Use these resources to show them it isn't.

You can do a little Everyday Activism. Nothing huge, not a massive time suck, but you will help save the water from these plastics.

Need some inspiration or guidance on how to approach it? Check out the Last Plastic Straws website and see how they approach these businesses! Help encourage a voluntary plastic straw ban!

If you want bonus points, talk to your friends about the state of straws or plastic bags in your area- lots of places (especially ones on the coast, that can see the effects of these "disposable" plastics) are taking serious stands against these plastics, and they are starting to be banned all over the world. Morocco just banned plastic bags, and they were the world's second largest users. This can happen for us, and if you team up with friends, you might be able to make it happen where you live.

Not too much, right? I have certainly sent us all on more complex and crazy missions before. Who is going to try to break their straw habit with me? Do it for the turtles and future sushi restaurants, for goodness sake!

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