Plastic straws can be seen all over the world from the stomach of a hungry turtle to our local beach. Although they are not the greatest for the planet, why do we see them everywhere?

The simple answer to that is because they are cheap and they don’t melt on you like paper straw does. The amount of times, I came back to my drink with the straw more melted than the drink itself, is no joke.

Well fear no more, I am going to list 5 alternatives to paper straws and the great thing is they won’t melt on you and you won’t be killing any turtles. However, each alternatives comes with their own drawbacks and is case dependent.

Reusable Metal Straw

Yes I know you have seen these before and before you tell me duh, let me explain. Metal straws are durable and they are reusable. You can easily clean them and some of them are foldable. Once you are done with them, you can recycle it since it’s a metal.

But they come with their own problems. When buying metal straws, make sure you use food grade metal to prevent heavy metal intake. Plus metal straws are expensive and are not ideal for one time use purpose. Therefore, a boba shop or your favorite coffee chain are out.

I propose restaurants to implement metal straws. The straw can be cleaned once the customer is done like the other metal utensils and can be reused. Metal straws can also be offered in local coffee shops where customers can come and sit-down to drink coffee.

Bamboo Straw

Bamboo straws are reusable and they are a great alternative to plastic straws. They are biodegradable and durable. Unlike paper, you can even drink hot beverages without melting it, not that I recommend anyone drink a hot beverage with a straw. I have burned my tongue enough times to know straws and hot drinks don’t go together. Unless your name is Gary, he’s a weirdo.

The only issue with bamboo straw is that they have a woody taste. It taste like if you went to your local bench and took a lick…yum. If you are drinking a strong drink like coffee or cough* cough* your favorite cocktail, the taste is unnoticeable.

Grass Straw

Okay you might be wondering what is the difference between a grass straw and a bamboo straw. Well one the grass straw is made from a plant called Lepironia articulata and not bamboo. Unlike Bamboo straws, the grass straw does not have any woody taste. They are biodegradable and sturdy unlike paper straws.

These straws can be used one time and can be thrown in the compost. These straws are a perfect fit for coffee chains and boba shops. People can take the straws to go and even if they are dumped in the trash, it will be degraded over time.

The only drawback is that, it’s not as sturdy as a bamboo straw and it’s not uncommon to get one cracked or have some holes. If you are a weirdo like me and like to bite your straws, this straw is not for you.

Glass Straw

Glass straws are in many ways in the same ball park as metal straws. They are durable and reusable but at the same time they are also non-toxic. You don’t have to worry about toxic metals and they are easy to clean.

The main problem that is true for most glass product is that it can shatter like my dreams of becoming an astronaut. They are also not ideal for one time use either. Plus recycling glass is not as easy as medal.

Edible Straw

Okay this might be my favorite one. The concept is pretty simple: make a straw out of something edible and then use it like a straw and then eat it when you are done. This concept is perfect for coffee chains and even restaurants. Even fast-food chains can implement this in their milkshakes.

Certain Starbucks offers cookie straws for their coffee. I can totally imagine a jolly rancher straw for a fruity cocktail…..Jeeez you must think I’m an alcoholic at this point.

The drawbacks for this is many, and it all depends on what edible medium is used. But I wanted to include it because the concept is great for certain situation and I’m kinda hungry.

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Written by Win Teavir

Acknowledgement:

Special thanks to all the Photographers on Unsplash for taking such powerful photos and making it free for creators like me to use.