Have you ever given a thought to that little plastic straw that you use with your favorite drink? It is one of those things that people quickly tend to forget, though even such small devices have a very serious effect on our earth. And picture this: you’re sipping on your drink and at the same time, you don’t have to feel any guilt for enjoying yourself because you are doing good to the society. Curious? Join me on a journey through the universe of eco-friendly paper straws and learn why they are the future.
Why should you change and use paper straws?
Plastic straws have gotten a bad reputation for their impact on the environment. It takes them hundreds of years to degrade and thus more often than not they end up in water bodies where they are ingested by animals. A sad image comes to one’s mind- a sea turtle with a straw pipe in the nostrils, such sadness, right?
On the other hand, paper straws are eco-friendly since they are made of paper materials. They decompose within weeks and not centuries. This leads to less rubbish being thrown on the landfills and in the oceans thus making the earth a cleaner healthier place.
Reasons What Makes Eco-Friendly Paper Straws So Important
Environmentally Friendly
One of the major benefits of using paper straws is their destruction. Paper straws break naturally thus scattering over geographical areas over time while plastics stick to the environment forever. It’s the same as throwing away a banana peel and storing a plastic bottle. One will rot off pretty quickly and the other will take forever to rot.
Less Ocean Pollution
Moving to paper straws leads to less ocean pollution. Months later, straws are listed in the top ten items retrieved on the beach cleaning exercises. So when you use paper, you play a role in making our oceans much better for sea animals.
Minimal Carbon Emission
In comparison to plastic drinking straws, the straws made of paper consume almost zero carbon. Available resources include paper, bamboo, and other plant resources. This translates to lower dependence on hydrocarbons which translates to lower environmental mobility.
Obligation Towards Sustainable Forest Management
When it comes to paper straws, most are made of paper which encourages good forestry management. This conserves forests and enhances the image of biodiversity.
Practical Benefits of Paper Straws
These can be used without any hesitation
Unless the drink is very hot, paper straws tend to be perfectly safe even with very hot drinks. Some physicians, however, warn against the use of plastic straws since they leach chemicals. They are like the more delicious version of the less healthy version of a snack food in that they both fill one up, but this one is healthier and kinder to the planet.
Thrifty
Good, paper straws may cost a bit more than disposable plastic straws, but their environmental implications create very low costs. Good news indeed since the supply is still low and not many manufacturers are willing to produce these products, prices will come down soon.
Fun and Stylish
Turning to the colors of these two types of straw, paper straws have a larger number of colors, styles, and fingernails, and also. Not only on occasions such as the introduction of the bridge or even birthday parties but even at casual meet-ups, a paper straw with any theme is available.
Strength
Another issue that people often concern themselves with when using paper straws is the strength of the straw. Scagi, however, has pointed out that although paper straws are not designed to be used as many times as plastic straws, a good quality straw can survive in almost any drink. It is similar to how one would replace a thin plastic bag with an eco bag. It takes time to adapt but it is worth it in the long run.
Taste and Texture
Many people think that using paper straws will spoil the taste of the drink or change the feel of it. But once again clinically proven facts state that people appreciate the benefits to be more than the rest of the differences.
How to Make the Switch
Start Small
Sipping only from the swipes of paper straws is a good example. After getting used to it facilitate the other members to make the change as well. It is a bit like changing a behavior – the small actions grow little by little into a bigger action.
Support Businesses That Use Paper Straws
Look for places to eat that have paper straws. Your contribution will help in making other establishments convert to the new policy as well.
Educate Others
There are surely reasons as to why people are often encouraged to use these paper straws. Help other people by speaking up for them advocating for the change and informing them of the positive change that they can bring.
Conclusion
The use of paper straws is important if people want to lessen the carbon footprint that all of them have on the environment. Staw hence that is packaged in the wise package that helps eradicate unhealthy attitude helps to protect the land from excessive accumulation of garbage, which is the case mostly due to carelessness. So when undoubtedly you’re using a straw, remember that there is a difference that you can create. Sip and build the green future that we wish to see — one straw at a time.
