Straws Suck

Confession: just recently I used a plastic straw to drink a smoothie. Then I discovered that there is a campaign on to eliminate or at least reduce the use of single-use straws except maybe in hospitals where they might be useful for patients.

Straws, being so lightweight, blow around easily. From the outdoor table, from the trash container, from the landfill before it gets covered over....straws blow around and often end up in fields, roadsides, streams, ponds, beaches and ocean. The health of animals, birds, reptiles and fish all put at risk because of straws and other plastics that we unthinkingly use and toss.

If we really need a straw, we could use a re-usable one. Glass straws of different shapes and sizes can be ordered from Strawesome. Made in clear or coloured, different lengths and bores and with or without a bend or decoration, they are a bit pricey, but if a straw breaks they will replace it (though not if you are using it as a drumstick, they say)

But if we can drink coffee and tea without a straw, why do we need one for our iced coffee/tea? If we enjoy a beer or a glass of wine without a straw, why do we need one for our cola? 

We've cut down on our use of plastic bags so why not cut out our use of plastic straws. I remember when straws used to be paper and would eventually get so wet, they'd start to unroll in your drink. Why not just drink without a straw?

This is so hard to watch. I cried.

What do you think now about the use of plastic straws? I think in the future I'll use a spoon instead of a straw in my smoothie.

The Last Plastic Straw