The last year or so has seen a number of documentaries, news stories, and campaigns re-emphasizing the problems we have created for ourselves with our addiction to "disposable" single-use plastics: shopping bags, food packaging, and especially drinking straws.
Most people don't really need them, although they are convenient. If you have a long commute, or are on a nutrition plan with lots of smoothies or meal replacement shakes, using a straw makes it easier to multitask. For disabled folks who need a straw, healthier materials exist.
Unfortunately, single-use, plastic straws can't be recycled in most towns. And they end up in places we never intended them to go: broken up into tiny pieces, leaching chemicals into the ground water; filling the bellies of sea birds and fish, adding to the plastic soup in the middle of our oceans.
If you are ready to give up a little convenience, but still want to contribute to reducing all the plastic that will be hanging out in our landfills and oceans for the next 500 years, I have some suggestions.
Durable, reusable straws for your daily beverage habit
Glass
Strawesome offers a range of lengths and widths of clear glass straws, tailored to your preferred beverage. Accessories, such as a must-have cleaning brush, and carrying cases, are sold separately. This was the only place that I saw a hard carrying case on offer.
Simply Straws offers a nice set of glass straw in your choice of color, cleaning brush, and soft carrying case.
Both of these retailers also sell sets of multiples.
Stainless steel
Mulled Mind makes stainless steel straws by hand in a variety of sizes, and offers cleaning brushes separately.
Life Without Plastic offers this set of a straight stainless straw and brush, with a soft case.
Bamboo
Life Without Plastic also offers single or sets of multiple straws made from un-processed bamboo shoots. Perfect for a garden party or a tropical themed gathering.
Paper
Aardvark makes sturdy, decorative paper straws, which are probably best for institutional use or large parties. It's a less desirable alternative, as they are essentially single use, and made from virgin wood pulp. However, the paper is made from FSC certified woods, and the straws are certified biodegradable. These are becoming readily available in retail stores and supermarkets in the natural foods section.
Recommendations
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Buy one to try for a month, and get in the habit of cleaning it.
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When you find a style you like, buy multiples to keep in your car, desk, handbag, so you never have to settle for a single-use plastic version.
- Up the elegance factor, and look for a narrow box or case in antiques shops, or import markets.
My Poesia Graminia project will show an alternate use for all the plastic straws we've already tossed or lost.
Find out more here, and help crowdfund the collection.