Scale: the Problem of Replacing Single Use Plastics ramblinggit.com
@bradenslen I have been pleasantly surprised by how many places I’ve seen paper straws already. I am encouraged that change can happen and I can be patient but worry it will simply stop with straws.
@bradenslen you might enjoy
Disposable America - A history of modern capitalism from the perspective of the straw.
fascinating read.
@JohnPhilpin Thanks. Bookmarked. Will read. Aardvark, a paper straw manufacturer, is building a new plant in my state, so looking into that got me thinking about the immense scale of this shift away from plastics just for straws.
I'm old enough to remember the paper straws from the early 1960's which were terrible for shakes and malts, and we don't want to go back to that.
@fgtech Back on scale: the smaller firms are more nimble in their supply chain so I expect them to lead the way as supplies of paper straws become more abundant. I'm also wondering about alternative materials. I've seen hay mentioned and I'm also wondering if hemp fiber might work? I'd hate to see mass deforestation for pulp just to make drinking straws!
@bradenslen and then on to paper cups and bottles. . . Again. Glass is/was good too. We got milk delivered in glass to the house through the 70’s.
@JohnPhilpin I don't see reusable straws becoming popular. Cleaning and sanitizing are going to be big issues. Hard to justify the water usage in places like S. Cal or the Southwest US for restaurants to clean. For individuals you have the problem of what to do with the wet messy reuseable straw in your pocket or purse. Some people will use them, then again some people make their own laundry soap but I don't see it becoming mainstream.
@Marty Glass is great. I never liked glass shampoo bottles though, I was always worried about dropping and breaking one in the shower.
@bradenslen yes - but I also didn’t forecast people buying heavy metal containers to pour water into and then lug around all day ... so who knows?
@JohnPhilpin Oh, wow. I love the opening to that article. Spot on. I am going to enjoy reading that. Thanks!
@bradenslen Scale is definitely an important consideration. This is one way in which capitalism can help. Small firms become big firms, etc. The shifting culture is creating new demands. Will we fill the demand for straws in a responsible way?
@bradenslen @johnphilpin We have a great collection of metal straws that get regular use... in our house. I totally agree that reusable straws supplied by restaurants are not viable. Maybe restaurants just stop providing them and those who need straws bring them along.
@bradenslen as long as places supply plastic straws, these issues are big enough. But something like this, dishwasher safe, with a travel case, eliminates some of those issues. But yes, it's still more of an inconvenience for most people when you can be provided one.
@bradenslen Hasn’t anyone created a biodegradable straw made from plant material? I can’t believe the like doesn’t already exist.
And, if so, why can’t those straws be switched to widely? Production scale issues? Cost?
@grayareas Right now it's got to be scale and a proper, useable product. I know Aardvark straw company is building new manufacturing plants and I'm sure others are too.
Somebody is making straws out of hay stalks. Those are going to be thin and might not work for shakes and malts but it's a neat, renewable idea for cocktails and sodas if they work and don't impart their own flavor.
There must be other plant fibers for making straws. Perhaps industrial hemp? I'm sure these are being worked on.
Except for scale, straws are probably the easiest problem to solve. Next up: plastic lids on fast food beverage cups, styrofoam beverage cups, then other packaging. I'm picking on fast food and take-away because these are likely to get tossed out a window and make their way into a waterway, but the whole food industry is going to have to slowly change.
@kordumb There is a niche there for individual use of reusable straws. I can't see it scaling for restaurant use.
@fgtech One industry's liability is another industry's opportunity. Yeah, we will adapt. Mistakes will be made along the way but that's the way humans work.
responsible
There are huge PR points to be gained by responsibly sourcing straws. When McDonald's got rid of the styrofoam clam shells for their burgers they plastered their green credentials all over the new paper boxes. They and others will do the same for straws.