Plastic Free July – Part 1: Straws

There are lots of straw alternatives out there. Glass, stainless steel, bamboo and silicone. Some come in colors, which can be a great way to know which straw or drink belongs to which person. There are a lot of size choices. There are some that have bends and others that are straight. Some even fold up so you can pack them away in a case.

After doing a little digging and research after deciding how and when we used straws the most, I decided on a straight, clear glass straw that was bigger in diameter so it is perfect for thick shakes and smoothies. I wanted the clear glass so I can see that it is clean and isn’t building up anything on the inside. Anyone that has tried to clean a straw, especially narrow, twisty things, knows that can be a problem. Since longevity is the goal, I wanted to make sure this wasn’t an issue. That isn’t to say the other alternatives aren’t good choices, they just aren’t what I chose.

When I bought mine, I just got a set of 4 to cover everyone in the house. I knew at the time using these outside of the house was going to be difficult because they didn’t come with any kind of case, but I thought I’d be able to figure out something on my own. I never came up with anything that seemed workable, so I went looking and researching again and found individual cases that would fit the straws I already had. Because they are individual, anyone can grab a straw and a case if they need it. These in particular have a small rubber band where the cap meets the base to help seal it from any leaks. My straws are maybe at the very top end to fit, so there is a tiny gap under this band, but it still does its job.

So far, I’m loving these. We don’t go out often enough and I just recently got the cases, so I still have to test that out, but they look like they are going to work really well. I may need a bottle brush or a longer handled straw brush to keep the cases clean if needed, but they are big enough around that you can see inside fairly well. Because they are rigid rather than soft, like a cloth carrying case, these will help protect the glass when you take it with you.

Plastic Alternative/Replacement:
Straws and drink stirrers

Pros:

• No more throwing away a single use, plastic straw (the obvious)
• Easy to clean (these came with 2 cleaning brushes and are plenty long)
• Perfect size opening for thicker drinks
• Cases make them portable so you can use them anywhere
• Made of the same type of glass as most baking dishes making them hard to break
• Can be put in a dishwasher
• Does not add a “taste” to what you are drinking like some other options

Cons:

• These are straight, so if you need a bend you will need a different straw
• Does pick up the temperature of your drink to some extent, but not as bad as stainless steel
• These CAN break, they are glass, but they aren’t exactly fragile
• Some may not like the hardness/rigidity
• Length may be an issue for some when it comes to transport as these would be too long to toss in a small bag or purse
• Cost – the straws and the cases are not cheap
• Accessibility: Like most plastic alternatives, these probably aren’t carried in a lot of different locations, so you may need to find them online and order (which is what I needed to do), which can mean a lot of plastic in the packaging for shipping.

For me, the pros far outweigh the cons. Not everyone will feel the same as they have different needs. I’ve read where this specific alternative may not be an even remotely good option for people with certain disabilities. The alternative for them may be something like a silicone that has more flexibility.