I think almost every kid has dreams of being a superhero at one point in his or her childhood. In our backyard, in the blink of an eye we were soaring through treacherous thunderstorms to save the magical baby dragon from the evil Sorcerer. I'm sure the script went something like "We need to capture the Red Sorcerer's magic crystal in order to break the enchantment holding the baby dragon. Only then can we return her safely to her mother, and save our city from a fiery attack."
Anyone watching from the living-room windows would have seen two or three girls, spazzing out on the jungle gym, playing what looked like 'keep away' with tinfoil wrapped ball and a stuffed snake. But it was real to us. We would be toast if we didn't rescue that dragon and triumph over evil.
Well, I only learned how to fly through water (and not very fast, at that) on the Y swim team. My rescues have all been four-footed fur babies. Okay, there have been some treacherous storms. We seem to be blessed at the moment as Dorian appears to be moving up the east coast and not bunny hopping over Florida into the gulf.
But all is not lost, folks!
You get a second chance to be a real superhero and not just play one in the movies. One simple change will make quite a difference for eons to come.
"What is it?" you ask, all tingling and aglow with the thought of fame, fortune, and the pinnacle of today's celeb status - going viral.
Swap your plastic straws for glass or stainless!
Yep, that's it. It is easy to purchase glass or stainless straws online or at your local box store (they are conveniently located with the insulated travel cups (hey - no more styro). Most packs come with a right-sized pipe-cleaner for easy scrubbing.
I've been slowly making the change from disposable to a personal container for about six months now. Full disclosure, I'm not there 100%. It's easy to forget and leave it on the drainboard or get busy with the cats/dogs and forget to take it with you. I'm going to try a new strategy of leaving a clean set in the car so I have a backup.
I first purchased one when Cabo's Tacos was selling them (still have it as my main straw - no breakage). I don't think they are selling them right now, but you can find glass straws on the web.
Alternatives to plastic
Stainless Steel - They won't break and are easy to clean. The packs I've seen (and the one I purchased at Walmart) come with a pipe cleaner. They are the least expensive choice, but if you have children, you might want to opt for the bamboo. The ends are not as sharp. The stainless won't cut you, but they could be used as a weapon, like a ballpoint pen.
Glass - These are more expensive, but you can see through them, so you know you it is clean. Also, they have a wider diameter and will work for smoothies and shakes much better than the stainless (I have not seen larger diameters of the stainless in local stores, but you can find them on the web).
Bamboo - I have not tried these personally, but from what I have read on the web they do stand-up as well as the stainless and are softer on the lips. These also come in multiple sizes.
Paper - these are not reusable but are biodegradable. These would be great for sending with your kids to school so they don't have to use plastic straws at lunch. After a brief look at LCS website, I see they are using plastic forks in the picture, no sign of a straw. Something for me to look into - no single serve plastic-ware and find out what they are using for straws.
Bottom Line:
Anything is an improvement over plastic. Get a combo-size stainless or bamboo and make a new habit. That is really the hard part in all of this, creating a new habit to replace the old.
Challenge: Make a goal to get totally away from single serve items - start with straws and cups. You can do it!
Websites for ordering your straw sets:
Seastainable Coloured Metal Straws
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