Several fast food stores, coffee shops and many restaurants no longer use straws or plastic straws in their drinks.
To some it may seem like an exaggerated measure, after all, how much can a small straw contaminate?
The answer is ... a lot.
In the US alone, more than 500 million are used a day and are very difficult to recycle.
They weigh so little that the machines in charge of classifying recyclable waste tend to ignore them and that means that in many cases they end up deposited next to organic waste in landfills where the plastic takes a long time to decompose.
Worse still, in coastal communities they are very likely to end up in the sea, where they can pose a cryo hazard to marine life.
The solution is very simple: use easily biodegradable paper straws or, if we like that texture, some metal straws like these from Goodful, which are also on sale today.
Goodful Collapsible Stainless Steel Telescopic Straws with Silicone Tips ($ 9.99, originally $ 13; amazon.com)
These straws are made of aluminum, but have a silicone tip that makes drinking through them more comfortable.
They are also extendable, which means that they adapt to all types of glasses, and include a practical carrying case with an integrated cleaning rod (it is important to clean the metal straws after each use to avoid residues remaining in the glass). inside).
They can also be cleaned in the dishwasher.
Note: The above prices reflect the price at the time of publication of the article.