Eco-Cycle currently hosts and promotes the Be Straw Free campaign. They estimate based on national averages that each person in the U.S. uses about 38,000 straws between the ages of 5 and 65. The majority of these straws then end up in our landfill and oceans never decomposing as they are made of plastic.
Due to campaigns across social media, many businesses and households have stopped using single use plastic straws and reverted to more sustainable alternatives. One ever-so-popular alternative is the paper straw. If you are like me, paper straws are your enemy. They disintegrate as soon as you take a few sips of your beverage and they are not reusable. Additionally the process of making these straws requires tons of energy, water and trees, thereby further damaging our environment. So what else can we use?
BAMBOO STRAWS
Bamboo is fast growing and easy to farm. This process leaves little toll on the environment as it is contained when farmed and is biodegradable. This makes all part of the straw process- from production to consumption sustainable. Not only that but these great straws can be dishwasher safe, and once they wear out they can be composted.
SILICONE STRAWS
Colorful, easy to find, chewy straws. They are dishwasher safe and can be reused for years, preventing hundreds of single-use straws from ending up in landfills and the oceans. While these are incredibly hard to recycle, the production of silicone produces around nine times fewer greenhouse gasses than its plastic counterpart, making it a more sustainable option. METAL STRAWS Metal straws are the most popular choice of reusable straw. They are made with high-quality stainless steel. This makes them extremely durable so they are dishwasher safe and won't break or bend. Plus they are non-toxic, stain-free, rust-proof, scratch-proof and 100% recyclable.
XOXO,
Zoe Much