Straws SUCK!

OK, so in 2015 I was in Bali and discovered glass straws . . . My narrow minded self at the time thought, wow how pretentious! Then it came to my attention shortly after just how much straws were being used, especially in the tourist industry. For every smoothie, every coconut, every beverage you could imagine, the numbers rapidly increased.

The US alone consumes over 500 million straws each day! The straws end up being mistaken for food by marine life, which, when swallowed, can cause injury/death, or they can get painfully jammed into orifices, like with the sea turtle whose suffering sparked widespread outrage. And as the straws leak into our oceans they gradually break down into microplastics that leach toxins into the water and eventually blanket the sea floor where a lot of life and earthly oxygen supply abide.

Basically straws SUCK! They are produced by the billion for one single use.

What to do about it:

Do you really need a straw with that drink?

If you suffer with sensitive teeth then there are waste free options available.

At one of the local markets in Edinburgh I found a stall called ‘Anything but Plastic’

They provide a wide range of plastic free alternatives to everyday items such as deodorant, string bags, coffee cups, make up, bottles and STRAWS!

There are three types of straw that the company provide, Bamboo, stainless steel and glass . .

BAMBOO! At £3.99 for a set of 4 bamboo straws and a cleaner. I think its really good value. You can also buy them singular for £1 each.

STAINLESS STEEL! £5.99 for a pack of 4 with cleaning brush. A bit more expensive but might last a life time.

GLASS! £6.49 for a pack of 4 with cleaning brush. With the glass I was obviously concerned about the idea of it smashing easily. I spoke with one of the sellers at the market and she said that the straws are made with the same material they make test tubes with in the lap so they are quite sold and perhaps in my option the cleanliest way to consume an icy beverage.

Its mostly not even our fault, I’ve been to a place many times when they just automatically put a straw in your drink without even asking, its just a case of mentioning it when you order..

NO STRAW PLEASE!

I bought one bamboo and one glass to support the cause. And I would like to buy some for friends also. I’m pretty sure everyone takes a bag out with them when they go to a social event, or these tiny things can even fit in your pocket!

Heres the link if you wanna check it out >>https://www.anythingbutplastic.co.uk

Plastic free love!