The ban on plastic drinking straws in California has been controversial, with many people ridiculing it and even warning of an emerging black market in straws. Looking at things a little more deeply, though, it starts to make sense.
One million people each using one straw a day doesn’t sound like an ecological disaster. But do the math and it actually amounts to around 70 tons of pretty much unrecyclable waste, much of which ends up in the ocean. Once this happens, it can take decades to degrade. In the meantime, it continues to strangle and choke wildlife, and in fact ends up in the seafood we eat in the form of microparticles.
On the other hand, the elderly and disabled are often unable to drink without straws, and hell hath no fury like a toddler who feels her beverage isn’t properly served. There is also the fact that drinking through a straw actually does make a drink taste better, as this helps to lightly aerate the liquid. You can’t really serve some cocktails[ any other way.
So, straws are good and plastic is bad; whatever shall we do? Some companies are now selling (and in fact have been for a while) straws made of bamboo or paper, but these are still single-use items and don’t really work all that well.
Enter this reusable stainless steel drinking straw from CompuClever. At 1/3 of an inch in diameter, it works well with thicker drinks like milkshakes and smoothies, and has a bendable neck and ends that will neither scratch tumblers nor puncture lips.
As a reusable product it’s pretty much immune to rust or abrasion, and comes with a rustic-looking cotton storage pouch. On the hygiene side, it’s also dishwasher safe, and a special brush for cleaning the inside is included.
As far as drawbacks go, they are, as mentioned, made of metal, so they don’t bend as easily as conventional straws, and you can burn your lips if drinking something very hot. Still, compared to all the alternatives out there, this one seems to be a winner.
