this post was submitted on 25 Aug 2023
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Researchers found low concentrations of so-called forever chemicals in various "eco-friendly" straws, raising doubts about whether they're an appropriate alternative.

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[–] [email protected] 89 points 1 year ago (12 children)

Or stop using straws all together. Cups/lids can be made differently, so they are more like a sippy cup. You don’t NEED straws. Humans are totally capable of drinking directly from a cup, even without a special lid.

[–] [email protected] 43 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Single use bendy straws were literally invented to help keep bedbound and other disabled people alive.

[–] gonzo0815 31 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Which is the only legitimate use case, but I bet >99% of straws produced aren't used for that.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago

And you can buy bent straws in multiple materials, which are not intended to be disposable.

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 year ago

No, no straws for anyone, and take away their special ramps too. It's all or nothing because that's the only way my argument works. Color spectrum, exceptions? All I see is black and white.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 year ago (2 children)

To be fair, drinks with ice in them are still miles easier to drink with a straw.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (6 children)

No doubt. But something with a smaller hole in it, like the newer Starbucks (I’m sorry I hate using them as an example) cold cups works fine with ice too. Hell, something shaped like the top of a soda can would do it, no more difficult to make than the straw accepting lids, and then no straws.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Those stsrbucks cups are fairly thick, like more than the amount of plastic in a straw thick. Is that really better overall?

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[–] MaybeItWorks 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They’re not difficult to make, but they do require more plastic. Probably about the same amount of additional plastic as a straw, really. It’s funny to me when people only consider part of the equation and not the whole thing.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

As far as I’m concerned, plastic lids/cups should go away too. I’m simply pointing out that straws are useless, and if anyone cared enough, it would be pretty simple to resolve the straw issue.

[–] MaybeItWorks 5 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Calling straws useless is a bit much. They’re usually excessive, but not useless. Ask your grandmother who can no longer drink from a glass properly. Or a quadriplegic.

There’s nuance in everything, my friend. You’d serve the world better to acknowledge it rather than speak in absolutes.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If it's in a paper/plastic cup you can pop the lid off and squeeze the cup to make a pitcher-like shape at the rim. Keeps the ice in and makes for easy drinking. I don't see why we can't just make all disposable lids like coffee cups, honestly. They even make ones that close to avoid spilling

[–] MaybeItWorks 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I just bought like a dozen metal straws that are in rotation. Also, coffee cup lids require slightly more plastic to mold. You’re not really saving too much with that trade-off when you think about it. Metal straws work great.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I have some metal straws I keep in my car, I was speaking more to people who don't have or use them or forgot them and don't want to use a disposable straw. I agree that metal straws are the way to go. We honestly need to normalize and allow people to bring their own bottles/cups/whathaveyou into restaurants over disposable products. They should just charge a flat rate for beverages and call it a day. The profit margins on drinks are absurd so the restaurant will still be making plenty of money even if someone brings one of those huge 64 oz bottles in. They could even rig soda fountains to dispense pre-portioned amounts so that the restaurant maintains it's margins. That tech has been around for ages, I'm sure it would be easy to retrofit fountains that dont already have it

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Woah woah woah, will someone please think of the cocaine users?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

People have been using money forever, they’ll be fine.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's gross. Paper straws are the way 🤌

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Ivory for an extra dose of cruelty!

Quick edit: do not use paper straws for cocaine. Porous material will absorb your product. Also heat your surface before chopping, to make the product as fine as possible.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Stop making it complicated. Just line it up on someone's ass and get your nose down in it like god intended.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

That one’s checked off my bucket list, and I cannot be more happy.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Straws are an accessibility need for some humans, not everyone is actually physically capable of drinking directly from a cup.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago (4 children)

That’s fine, they can have their own non disposables for their own needs. We do NOT need to keep polluting the planet (yeah I know there are plenty of other ways we do it) with EVERYTHING being disposable.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Single use bendy straws were literally invented to help keep bedbound and other disabled people alive. There are also many reasons people can't use different alternatives.

You personally not using something, doesn't mean others don't, and to deny access to a literal lifeline for the sake of 0.003% of the plastics in the ocean (literally a drop in an ocean) because it makes you feel better and requires zero effort or sacrifice (from you), instead of actually acting to resolve the problem (like being anti-capitalist rather than just trying to apply band aids to its symptoms) is not only gross and ableist, but also a colossal counterproductive waste of time.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Costco food court lids come to mind. They have a hole near the side where you can either use a straw or drink directly.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I've never seen those in person, but after an image search, yeah, exactly. I only used starbucks as an example because they are everywhere, and most people have seen them before.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

My mother is up there in age, every time she drinks from a cup she ends up spilling it on herself. Im not saying she NEEDS straws, but it sure makes it easier on her.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I wouldn't say that nobody ever should use straws, but there are definitely a lot of people who use straws even when it's not necessary, like when they're just sitting in a restaurant eating.

I can agree that having a straw is easier for takeaway eaten on the go or in the car too, for example.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

How are you going to drink bubble tea without a straw?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Same way I already do, tear the plastic “lid” off and dump it down my throat.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I too enjoy gargling little black balls

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (4 children)

How do you get pearls that are at the bottom of the cup? You drink the tea first and then use a spoon for pearls? Bubble tea requires a straw to properly enjoy. Otherwise you can't get a mixture of both tea and pearls.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

I started making my own boba and I got a set of big glass boba straws.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Metal straws have gotten very popular in Taiwan, the home of bubble tea. It's not that inconvenient to take a metal straw or other reusable straw with you.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I'm not going to keep a metal straw on me for the odd time I want bubble tea.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Totally ignored his last point.

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