Opinion: Save the Plastic Straws!!

MY VIEWS ON PLASTIC STRAWS

I love cold beverages, especially iced coffee and iced tea. These drinks are even more delicious and satisfying with a plastic straw. Within the last year or so, plastic straw availability has been steadily decreasing. It started at a local coffee shop, where a paper straw was offered with my iced coffee. 

Liquids + paper = yucky, non-satisfying experience. I do not want my straw to melt in my mouth.  

While I love supporting local businesses, the paper straw situation had me annoyed. I continued to frequent Starbucks, La Colombe, and other large plastic straw carrying establishments. 

Everything was going great, until the birth of the plastic lid with the wide mouth, a.k.a adult sippy cup lid a.k.a ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. 

Unfortunately, I spill shit. A lot of shit. Because of this, white pants or white clothes for that matter are not my friends. When the barista recently handed me a delicious Nitro Cold Brew with THAT lid and no straw, I was like OH MY GOD NOOO THIS ISN’T happening. I know. I have issues. I politely asked for a straw to go with my wide mouthed lid and was handed one (with hesitation). I sipped the drink carefully, making sure to not spill while on my way to work. 

The new lid was becoming a part of my life, as was asking for a damn straw every day. 

Just last week, I stopped into a coffee shop that is not close to my house, but was on the way to somewhere I needed to be. I was SO EXCITED to grab an afternoon iced coffee and go on with my day. I went into the store and the barista handed me my drink. No. It couldn’t be happening. The new lid was also on the damn drink. I looked for the straw bin. It was gone. 

Me: Excuse me, may I please have a straw?

Barista: *with look of absolute disgust on his face, while handing me a PAPER straw* Straws aren’t going to be around forever ya know. 

Me: They are for me! *sipped drink through paper straw and walked out*

Maybe I was having an emotional day or something but I immediately called my husband and one of my besties (both Pro-Plastic straw btw) to tell them my beloved store was going straw-less. 

Today, something else happened that prompted me to write this ridiculous post. I went to WholeFoods for a smoothie at lunch. Was handed smoothie with that dumb lid. No straw. No. Freaking. Straw. I am not drinking a smoothie without a straw. You might be judging me and thinking I am silly and that’s ok! But hear me out. I asked the girl behind the counter for a straw because there were none available. She seriously grabbed one from back behind the counter- they were seriously hidden. THIS WAS THE LAST STRAW! Lol, but seriously. Then I saw a sign regarding the store’s stance on public straws. 

I get it. We don’t want straws hurting the environment and our animals, especially sea life. We want something more sustainable. I, like everyone else, care about out the earth. HOWEVER. Instead of banning straws, why aren’t people banning balloons? They kill animals daily. Should we ban the plastic cups that the cold drinks are served in? How about we ban all plastic? 

There are so many issues and crazy happenings in this world, and I think the focus should be on something else besides plastic straws. If you are still reading this, bless your heart! If you are anti plastic straw or anti paper straw, let me know. I would love to hear your opinion! Meanwhile, I need to go order 500 boxes of plastic straws on Prime right now so I don’t have to have rage on a daily basis.