Plastic straws are in my view definitely one of the things the world does not need.
Sure, looks good in the cocktail or in the homemade lemonade – but let’s have a hand on the heart, is not it without it? Tasty changes such a plastic part certainly nothing, it is not healthier, delicious or otherwise great. Every year, every day, billions of plastic straws are produced and used all over the world. And very often, and that’s a huge problem, we get unsolicited straws as customers (!!). Maybe I do not want a straw? Imagine how many billions of straw we could save if you only get a straw on demand?
These are exactly these things a big problem for our sea creatures and for our oceans, especially for the turtles. I recommend you first to watch this short video and then read the article.
Of course, we also bought and used straws for years, did not think about what that actually is or what the pros and cons are. Of course not, who is thinking about straws?
But when you think about it, you’ll soon realize how pointless things really are. In 99.9% of the cases, a plastic straw is a pure disposable item, ie it is never reused, just for hygienic reasons. Actually, straws are much more meaningless than plastic bags, which you could at least reuse in theory. This means we use such a part just once and then throw it away. For what?
Plastic straws – two uses
Now you can distinguish between “to-go” straws and “to-stay” straws. No idea if these terms exist, otherwise I invented them now.
Once there are the things that we put either in the cocktail or the long drink or we automatically get there if we order something in the bar or the disco.
Now, a lemon drink with a straw looks pretty good. And straw is also practical because if we use it, there is less danger that we accidentally swallow a piece of lime. But seriously, if there were no straw in there now, would you enjoy the drink less?
So, now we drink the cold drink and it remains a bit of ice and the lime pieces left – and just the straw. And what happens to it? The bartender pours everything in the garbage at worst – and as we learned from this article, plastic straw and organic waste are NOT in the same bin. But even if the bartender bothers to put the straw in the yellow sack – that does not necessarily make things much better.
There are also the straws, which we use to stir our cocktails, I just imagine, for example, the Caipirinha, which I like to drink. So far I have always used a plastic straw to stir the ingredients over and over again. Ever since I thought about straws, I use a spoon or a straw made from alternative materials that can be reused.
At the end of the day, the standard straws in my eyes are senseless plastic waste and everyone who cares about the ocean and its inhabitants should be able to do without it.
Plastic straw “to-go”
Then there are the straws “to-go” – among them, I count all the straws that you get at Starbucks, McDonald’s or other fast-food companies if you have a milkshake or its “Creamed Chai Latte Caramel Crunchy with lactose-free Milk “on the hand brings. Even if I did not buy one or the other (but there are other reasons), I could imagine that it is quite difficult to “eat” or drink without a straw. When I look at the picture, I also find the lid of the drink questionable, but perhaps more on that later.
There is, I’ve seen recently, but now also more sustainable solutions with reusable cups and without a straw or at least with a reusable straw.
In any case, I realize that it would be a significant economic factor for a giant like Starbucks, if instead of the plastic straws suddenly switched to more sustainable straws, such as bamboo or even metal. Therefore, I would rather once again question the meaning or the benefit of the straws themselves. I mean, what are they for? To stir? So I do not have to drink the cream from the straw? Or just to make it look better? Probably a bit of everything.
At the end of the day it makes no difference in my view, whether there is a straw in it or not – the drink tastes the same in all cases. And even if you think that it makes a difference (of whatever kind), then you should still ask yourself if it’s worth it.
Regardless of the fact that such a drink presumably has more calories and simple sugars than a BigMac, I think Starbucks & Co. would like to do without straws.
Plastic straws – big nonsense
And then there are the very pointless uses. We were recent “wellness” and have a whole afternoon Saunier, bathed, massaged – the full program. In between, of course, I was also thirsty and ordered an apple juice. Apple juice is, as we all know, ideally from the juice of apples – without other ingredients (except for water perhaps) – THERE IS NOTHING TO TURN. Nevertheless, there was a large glass of apple juice with a straw. Since then I have to ask myself the question why.
The question of the alternative to plastic straws
As always, the question arises, what alternatives are available … and if you have watched the videos and read the article, you will almost certainly ask the question of an alternative.
Ideally, you will never use plastic straws privately. Believe me, you do not need them.
If you really want to use straws, please just take reusable straws from straw, metal, glass or bamboo. Made of metal and glass you can order them directly from us.
Meanwhile, more and more shops offer reusable cups – sometimes with a deposit. Often you get the drink cheaper if
When you’re out and about, you can serve the bartender or barista or whoever serves you your drink, so ask to serve the drink without a straw. On request (or gladly unsolicited) simply explain in more detail.
