Saying NO to Plastic Straws
Have you ever seen that viral video of the turtle with a plastic straw stuck in its nose? Check it out here, if you haven’t. If that doesn’t convince you to SAY NO TO PLASTIC STRAWS, I don’t know what else will.
A few months ago, we finally got our own set of reusable steel straws. I ordered mine from @metalstrawph on Instagram. Although it has been pretty easy for me to transition to using it, I recognize that there are challenges to making this Earth-friendy transition.
Sipping thru steel
Sipping thru a steel straw takes some getting used to, specially to a straw biter like me. I mean, you could very well lose your teeth if you bite thru that. ? But you do get used to it after a couple of sips. It also doesn’t really affect the taste of any drinks, at least none that we’ve noticed.
Remember to take it with you
On a quick trip at the start of summer, I totally forgot to pack our steel straws. I think I had just washed them and then forgot to put them back in my bag. Because I didn’t want that to be an excuse to keep using plastic straws, I convinced everyone riding with me on that trip not to use any with the drinks we ordered from a fast food drive-thru counter. ?Good thing they agreed! But really, it was a bit challenging to drink from the cup in a moving vehicle. But what the hey, my car, MY RULES! ??Since then, I’ve been pretty good at keeping the straws in my bag.
Refuse the plastic straw
Sometimes, establishments still make it hard to refuse the plastics.
When we order food for delivery, we request that no plastic straws and utensils be included in the order. Sadly, they still pack them with the food.
There are also restaurants who automatically serve drinks with plastic straws already in them. Now that is just sad. Whyyyyy?
Don’t accidentally throw it in the trash!
A few weeks ago, we decided to order in for lunch. Our choice: McDonald’s. (We’ve been doing pretty well with eating balanced meals but once a week, we give in to our cravings – ugh, defensive much?)
Before going to bed, I remember seeing two large soda cups on the kitchen sink, with the steel straws still sticking out from the lids. When I woke up, they were gone, along with the day’s trash. I figured the hubby took the garbage out before leaving for work.
Did he remember to keep the straws? I messaged him to find out. Here’s our conversation:
So I left home without confirming with my own eyes that the straws were just there somewhere. After a long day at work, I came home and couldn’t help but take a peek at the trash bin outside the house – yesterday’s trash was there, and it looked like someone had gone thru them.
As soon as I stepped thru the door, I asked – “Nakita mo?” (Did you find them?). He owned up to it right away, he had to retrieve them from the bin! We still laugh about that – a LOT!
But over Mother’s Day weekend we spent time with his friends and their families at an amusement park before heading to a resort. Before leaving, he needed another drink and got us a large cold Milo. Knowing na paubos na yung Milo, and as we walked out of the park, I kept telling him – “Babe, yung straw ha,” as a reminder NOT to throw it away.
We stopped for the obligatory group photo by the theme park entrance and then left.
While in the car, he remembers too late, that he had thrown the straw away. I’ve been giving him a hard time about that, haha.
Then yesterday, it was my turn. We ordered fruit shakes with our meals – because it’s soooooooo hot you just HAD to have one. I used my straw, while he chose to drink without one. To cut the story short, I left it at the restaurant! But no worries, I called it in, and went back for it this morning.
So, don’t leave home without it AND remember to take it home too!
These challenges are all so easy to overcome, and the reusable straw options are affordable too – specially since you’ll be using them many times, and for a very long time.
There really should be no reason NOT to switch to reusable straws. As in anything else, when you do, you just have to COMMIT TO IT AND BUILD THE HABIT.
When it comes to helping save the planet, no act is too small. What are you waiting for? Reduce single-use plastic waste, and SAY NO TO PLASTIC STRAWS!
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