Go for Plastic Straw Alternatives!

Drop Single Use Plastic Straws to Save the Planet

Every minute, one garbage truck worth of plastic waste is dumped into the ocean. Yearly, a colossal 1.4 billion pounds of trash ends up in our beautiful oceans. Of this waste, much of it is plastic. It's highly noticeable that plastic bans are gaining a lot of momentum. Several countries, in the name of combating plastic pollution in the ocean, have begun banning and implementing taxes on various one-use plastic products like bottles, and bags. The most recent ban was that in Starbucks where on the 9th of July, Starbucks announced that it would go for plastic straw alternatives and would eliminate single-use plastic straws in all its branches over the next year.

Plastic straws have always been around, in most beverages we order, from soft drinks to water, one would find a small plastic straw attached. At first, it does not seem like a big deal, would something as small as a plastic straw impact the environment in any way? The answer is yes.

Plastic straws are dispensable!

Americans use around 500 million straws every day, most of which end up in the oceans, polluting them and killing the marine life. This video with an endangered species of sea turtle with a plastic straw stuck in its nostril is an eyeopener for how damaging plastic straws can be to the marine life. Furthermore, a study by StrawlessOcean.org has shown that around 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have been found with plastic in their stomachs and if the plastic is ingested, marine life has just a 50% chance of survival.

Why are plastic straws in specific so terrible, though? One could ask. First of all, most straws aren't recyclable as they're too lightweight and often don't make it to the recycling sorter so they end up polluting both earth and ocean. Another thing is that disposable straws are usually made from plastic and plastic never breaks down. As time goes by plastic will separate into smaller and smaller pieces, but never completely biodegrades. Lastly, tons of plastic straws are hugely littered on beaches, which means that they inevitably find their way into the water. Another question that one could ask would be "What can I do to save the planet?" Well, for starters, you can ditch plastic straws and opt for an eco friendly alternative to plastic straws.

There are many plastic straw alternatives that one could use to reduce the waste and damage done to the ocean and here are 12 of them:

1) Aardvark Paper Straws Unwrapped Jumbo Straw, 7.75-Inch: These fun colorful colourful straws are made of biodegradable environmental friendly materials and food safe ink. They’re also BPA free, FDA approved. Aardvark straws are safer for the environment and most often biodegradable and their packaging is eco-friendly.

2) White Paper Straws which are made of FSC paper and FDA approved ink and they're 100% biodegradable. They’re durable enough to last for 3 hours in cold drinks and they’re also a good decoration for birthday, Christmas or, wedding, parties, and are usable in arts and crafts.

3) Yihong's Stainless Steel Straws are also another option as they are plastic Plastic-free and BPA free which will help to lighten your carbon footprint while still looking pretty modern and sleek!

4) Alink’s Stainless Steel Reusable Replacement Metal Straws include 4 straight and 4 bent metal straws, 2 pcs extra long brush can clean the straws all through and they also come with removable soft silicone tips to protect lips and teeth and to make it more comfortable to sip cold or hot drinks. They're made of 18/8 food grade stainless steel, FDA approved APPROVED, BPA free Free, Lead-FreeLead Free and also Eco-friendly. They’re durable and reusable, rust and scratch-proof, and dishwasher safe.

5) SipWell Extra Long Stainless Steel Drinking Straws: They’re a set of four straws, with cleaning brush included. Unlike Alink’s straws, they are not intended to be used with smoothies, due to them not being wide enough. They’re durable and sturdy to withstand daily use, made of unique longevity stainless steel.

6) BULUH STRAWS from Worthy Picks:  They're a set of organic bamboo straws which are originated in nature and are reusable, biodegradable, sustainable, BPA-free and vegan. Buluh straws are a great alternative to single-use plastic straws, as well as paper, stainless steel and glass straws. These straws are handcrafted in Bali and are free of pesticides or chemicals and contain neither dyes nor inks.

7) Reusable Plastic Straws from AMZSOCKETS: These reusable and environmental straws are made from top food grade material and are BPA free. They’re durable and stronger than disposable straws. The set comes with a free brush so you can clean them after using.

8) KORSREEL Reusable Bent Glass Straws: These straws are made from a glass material which is shatter-resistant, making them both durable and safe to drink from. They’re Eco-friendly and 100% safe. They’re are also reusable, environmentally friendly. They can be used for drinking virtually anything, from hot to cold drinks, smoothies to shakes, lemonade, protein shakes, cocktails, hot chocolate. They’re easy to clean; you can simply rinse the reusable straws after use or place them in the dishwasher. They come with two full- length cleaning brushes just in case of clogging.

9) The Amazing Pasta Straw from PastaStraws: These edible straws are vegan, 100% biodegradable, safe for the environments and they last your WHOLE drink. They’re the perfect alternative to harmful plastic straws and flimsy paper straws.

10) BAR-TY TIME! Straws:  These colourful straws are disposable and easy to replace; they’re designed to be tall enough for large tumblers, travel mugs, and tall cups and their large diameter allows for a smooth drink. They’re also BPA free.

11) HAY! Natural Drinking Straws: These 100% natural straws are made from wheat, specifically wheat stems which would otherwise go to waste. They’re straws are perfect for cocktails, juices, sodas, and most light beverages and they’re also gluten-free. Harvest straws are edible – try them out!

12) World Centric's 100% Biodegradable, 100% Compostable Straw: This line of biodegradable and compostable straws are made from PLA, a biodegradable resin made from corn starch. Instead of using petroleum-based plastics which create toxicity and environmental pollution, you can now use these compostable alternatives.

When it comes to plastic, one can always make some significant changes to their lifestyle that will help reduce the damaging effects it has on the environment and its creature, so next time you’re having a drink, drop the plastic straw and take a small step towards saving the planet. Don't make the mistake to use the X billion straws a year.