Straws at drink stations

[serenitynow]

I don't know how you suck on a straw, but when I do, the open end of the straw is past my front teeth toward the back of my mouth. And I swallow it directly down. It certainly means that less soda is being swished around my teeth using a straw.

You are correct, that is how a straw is supposed to work. I have a neurological disorder that affects my swallowing ability. As a result, I have to drink with a straw as it makes liquids easier to swallow without aspirating fluid into the lungs. The easiest drinking utensil is a flexible straw in a closed container. A straw allows a small, fixed amount of liquid per swallow.

Anything acidic or staining to the enamel of teeth is less damaging to the tooth enamel if the liquid is sipped through a straw rather than allowed to wash over the teeth as happens in a typical swallow, just ask your dentist.

Use a straw or don’t use a straw, that’s up to the individual involved. Just sharing that there are medical and dental reasons that some people prefer a straw.

 

[Ben E N]

You are correct, that is how a straw is supposed to work. I have a neurological disorder that affects my swallowing ability. As a result, I have to drink with a straw as it makes liquids easier to swallow without aspirating fluid into the lungs. The easiest drinking utensil is a flexible straw in a closed container. A straw allows a small, fixed amount of liquid per swallow.

Anything acidic or staining to the enamel of teeth is less damaging to the tooth enamel if the liquid is shipped through a straw rather than allowed to wash over the teeth as happens in a typical swallow, just ask your dentist.

Use a straw or don’t use a straw, that’s up to the individual involved. Just sharing that there are medical and dental reasons that some people prefer a straw.

That is a situation where I totally understand the use of straws. A diabetic has no choice but to use a syringe to inject insulin, it is not something they do for fun. That syringe is also single-use plastic, but there really is no other viable option available to them.

 

[Ben E N]

When I'm done with my straws, I dispose of them properly. If in spite of that, they still find their way into the food supply, then that's not my problem. My decision to drive a Dodge Challenger when I could be driving a Prius affects the environment as well...did I buy the wrong car? I live in Florida and keep my thermostat set as low as 74? Are you going to tell me to set it higher?

You nailed it perfectly with this statement. Individuals are fully aware of the small impact that they are having, but have a "it's not my problem" attitude about it. When billions of people act that way, the effects obviously add up. That's where government bodies get involved. The US government is requiring car manufacturers to become more fuel efficient because they know many consumers do not care enough to change what they drive. The Paris agreement is requiring governments across the world to control how much co2 is emitted because individuals cannot be trusted to control it themselves.
In regards to straws, there used to be a fight about similar plastics - micro beads. Those little balls in soap. People used to complain that they were needed to fully clean their hands, but they were so damaging to aquatic life that the government banned them. As far as I know, no one died as a result. Banning straws and single use silverware would be just as simple of a decision.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Since we've actually crossed into telling each other how we should (or should not) drink pop, I'll go one further. Studies have proven (not sure whose studies, but "STUDIES") that drinking pop out of a glass or glass bottle with a thick rim puts the liquid in just the right place on the tongue to optimize flavour and enjoyment.

Yeah, so get out that old A&W glass mug, chill it and pour yourself a nice pint of Root Beer, or Coke or Pepsi. Enjoy.

 

[mmmears]

You are correct, that is how a straw is supposed to work. I have a neurological disorder that affects my swallowing ability. As a result, I have to drink with a straw as it makes liquids easier to swallow without aspirating fluid into the lungs. The easiest drinking utensil is a flexible straw in a closed container. A straw allows a small, fixed amount of liquid per swallow.

This. There are people who need straws (I had a family member with a similar issue) and I think we can all make this decision for ourselves. There are plenty of items we can take care not to waste, but not having a straw at a restaurant or drink station can pose issues for more people than you realize.

 

[DisUniversal]

You nailed it perfectly with this statement. Individuals are fully aware of the small impact that they are having, but have a "it's not my problem" attitude about it. When billions of people act that way, the effects obviously add up. That's where government bodies get involved. The US government is requiring car manufacturers to become more fuel efficient because they know many consumers do not care enough to change what they drive. The Paris agreement is requiring governments across the world to control how much co2 is emitted because individuals cannot be trusted to control it themselves.
In regards to straws, there used to be a fight about similar plastics - micro beads. Those little balls in soap. People used to complain that they were needed to fully clean their hands, but they were so damaging to aquatic life that the government banned them. As far as I know, no one died as a result. Banning straws and single use silverware would be just as simple of a decision.

Hold your breath and wait for them to ban drinking straws...seriously.

 

[Ben E N]

Hold your breath and wait for them to ban drinking straws...seriously.

That's exactly why this thread got restarted. Businesses are starting to not use them. These changes are being celebrated by those who understand the impact that these changes will make.

 

[Starwind]

Hold your breath and wait for them to ban drinking straws...seriously.

Some municipalities are doing exactly that...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-plastic-straw-ban-foam-cups-1.4666586
"
Vancouver votes to ban plastic straws, foam cups and containers by June 2019"

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

That's exactly why this thread got restarted. Businesses are starting to not use them. These changes are being celebrated by those who understand the impact that these changes will make.

OK. I made one comment on the other straw thread, so I'll make one on here.

That post of mine was about how most of the environmental trends are improving for many decades, cleaner water, air, lower industrial pollution etc., (though there is still lots of work to do) while so many people scream of impending ecological doom.

This time, I'll give some perspective on this comment above. There are many LARGE environmental issues of today, Global warming (impacted by many things including cruise ships), energy efficiency and sustainability, lead in the water supply, toxins from industrial run-off, etc. All of which need legislative and public attention because of their large, wide-ranging impact. Straw use is WAY WAY down on this list. To me, we need to be focusing on the big areas where we can have a big impact, not on these much smaller issues.

I have no problem with people that don't want to use straws, but when people tell me that I should do more to reduce overall straw use, I feel that our efforts and energy would be better spent on bigger environmental issues that will help even more.

 

[cadien]

I'm not going to side-eye people using disposable straws but I'm also not going to complain to businesses that are choosing to phase them out, including some cruise lines. I'm fine with making that adjustment.

 

[Ben E N]

OK. I made one comment on the other straw thread, so I'll make one on here.

That one was about how most of the environmental trends are improving (though there is still lots of work to do) while so many people scream of impending ecological doom.

This time, I'll give some perspective on this comment above. There are many LARGE environmental issues of today, Global warming (impacted by many things including cruise ships), energy efficiency and sustainability, lead in the water supply, toxins from industrial run-off, etc. All of which need legislative and public attention because of their large, wide-ranging impact. Straw use is WAY WAY down on this list. To me, we need to be focusing on the big areas where we can have a big impact, not on these much smaller issues.

I have no problem with people that don't want to use straws, but when people tell me that I should do more to reduce overall straw use, I feel that our efforts and energy would be better spent on bigger environmental issues that will help even more.

I agree with you there. The issue with straws is that it is something directly caused by billions of individuals. The other issues are certainly larger, but it is much harder to address them at an individual level. I know where this will end up going, too. Once straw use is addressed, it will go on to the next issue, etc. This is all happening while the world's population of people is exponentially increasing.
Straw use is a good starting place, though, because with the exception of a few medical cases, there is no actual need for them. They are purely a luxury item that people can easily live without, but choose not to. If we don't stop using them everywhere, and all the time, then what are we expected to do about these other issues?

 

[AndreAggie]

So I will admit, I skimmed through this thread. I didn't read every post. However, I wanted to share what my family does on a cruise. We bring our own drink cups (usually RTIC or Yeti metal tumblers) and silicone straws. I like them more than the reusable plastic or metal straws because they are soft and flexible. I worry the metal ones will chip a tooth! These silicone ones are dishwasher safe too! I bring a tiny bottle of dish soap and wash the cup and straw in the bathroom sink with HOT water.

[URL]https://www.amazon.com/straws-reusable-Assorted-classic-colors/dp/B00D3QI37A[/URL]

 

[Ben E N]

So I will admit, I skimmed through this thread. I didn't read every post. However, I wanted to share what my family does on a cruise. We bring our own drink cups (usually RTIC or Yeti metal tumblers) and silicone straws. I like them more than the reusable plastic or metal straws because they are soft and flexible. I worry the metal ones will chip a tooth! These silicone ones are dishwasher safe too! I bring a tiny bottle of dish soap and wash the cup and straw in the bathroom sink with HOT water.

https://www.amazon.com/straws-reusable-Assorted-classic-colors/dp/B00D3QI37A

Those are such an easy solution. Thanks for sharing them. I added them to my Amazon wish list.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Those are such an easy solution. Thanks for sharing them. I added them to my Amazon wish list.

Not sure I'd trust a dishwasher to get a straw completely clean, so while we're at it, check out this item:

https://www.amazon.com/Drinking-Cle...rd_wg=rZu7q&psc=1&refRID=0B522F7MQ5F64AFA44KV

 

[Snowwhyt]

Culver’s ice cream shake, margarita at Yak and Yeti in the Animal Kingdom.

Does someone have skill to drink either of those without a straw?

For those whom are more familiar with paper straws; I’m curious ....

Are there paper straws that will last a half hour while drinking a super thick shake? Without getting all gummy? Without collapsing midway through the shake? When I was little they seemed so weak.

At Animal Kingdom I had to refuse the straw because of my tree allergy’s. But the glass was tall with what looks like a sort of round tree fort at the top. And I ended up repeatedly smashing the slush over my upper lip and out of the sides of the wider rim onto my shirt. Had to smell like tequila the last four hours at the park with my daughter. I probably imagine it worse than it really was, but I felt like a pig.

I had to give up making my own fruit infused water because it got expensive to boil and sanitize plastic glasses with rubber gaskets that wouldn’t hold up or the plastic would crack(Doctor requires those are tossed because fruit mold can harbor in cracks). Got to be more hassle than it was worth both timewise and financially. But boiling was required to make sure that I killed any mold that the fruit would create.

Pretty sure a collapsible metal straw would be asking for trouble for me. I also don’t think businesses that go through your purse before you enter are going to feel that that’s a very safety friendly tool for people to be carrying around.

 

[Ben E N]

Culver’s ice cream shake, margarita at Yak and Yeti in the Animal Kingdom.

Does someone have skill to drink either of those without a straw?

For those whom are more familiar with paper straws; I’d curious ....

Are there paper straws that will last a half hour while drinking a super thick shake? Without getting all gummy? Without collapsing midway through the shake? When I was little they seemed so weak.

At Animal Kingdom I had to refuse the straw because of my tree allergy’s. But the glass was tall with what looks like a sort of round tree fort at the top. And I ended up repeatedly smashing the slush over my upper lip and out of the sides of the wider rim onto my shirt. Had to smell like tequila the last four hours at the park with my daughter. I probably imagine it worse than it really was, but I felt like a pig.

I had to give up making my own fruit infused water because it got expensive to boil and sanitize plastic glasses with rubber gaskets that wouldn’t hold up or the plastic would crack(Doctor requires those are tossed because fruit mold can harbor in cracks). Got to be more hassle than it was worth both timewise and financially. But boiling was required to make sure that I killed any mold that the fruit would create.

Pretty sure a collapsible metal straw would be asking for trouble for me. I also don’t think businesses that go through your purse before you enter are going to feel that that’s a very safety friendly tool for people to be carrying around.

I'm a huge shake lover myself, and clearly an opponent of plastic straws, but I know where you are coming from. That's where something like silicone straws may end up being the best middle ground. More expensive, but for a high cost item like a shake it would only add 10% or so.

 

[3monkeys4me]

We have a mix of reusable plastic, silicone and metal straws that we use at home and we travel with. When we go to one of the local coffee shops we bring our own cup to be filled. We bring take out containers to a restaurant if we know we are eating out and we use reusable bags when we are shopping. These are all such simple things once you get used to them.

We live on the ocean and see the effects of plastic pollution on a daily basis.

 

[piccolopat]

No matter how careful someone is disposing a plastic straw after use, it is an environmental disaster same as plastic bags. The fact that they are small and lightweight means they easily find their way off garbage trucks and barges and into our waterways and habitats. The fact that they don't easily breakdown and harm wildlife is not debatable. Perhaps the answer is to eliminate all disposable plastics including straws. If someone has a need for a straw they can carry their own. This is no different than having to carry your own reusable bags to shop in many places now.

 

[piccolopat]

Out of curiosity, for those if you who insist on straws because you don't know who might have touched the rim if your glass and contaminated it, what do you do about the plates, bread baskets and silverware that you get in restaurants? Do you have a way to sanitize them without affecting the taste if your food? What do you do at buffets?

 

[Ben E N]

Out of curiosity, for those if you who insist on straws because you don't know who might have touched the rim if your glass and contaminated it, what do you do about the plates, bread baskets and silverware that you get in restaurants? Do you have a way to sanitize them without affecting the taste if your food? What do you do at buffets?

Not to mention what do you do about touching door handles, railings, etc, all day long? That's the way that the majority of viruses are transmitted, so claiming that using straws is the best way to prevent it is odd logic, especially considering at many places a person picked that straw up and placed it in the glass for you.

https://www.today.com/health/quit-touching-your-face-flu-researchers-say-1C7284851