Metal, paper… what material is your alternative for juice, cocktail, bubble teas… ?
The restaurant we were at last night was using a paper one. Paper had a coating of something which meant it ddnt fall apart
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Yes, we have been seeing the same thing lately and it’s very welcome.
A number of UK products traditionally have cardboard “cans” (or “tins” as we’d call them). The ones that most obviously come to mind are the likes of cocoa and drinking chocolate.
They date back to World War 1 and I covered the subject in my book “Bully Beef & Biscuits”. The issue was that, prior, these had been stored in metal containers. They became a popular product to send to British prisoners of war and the government was concerned partly that short supplies made metal scarce but, also, we were sending metal to the enemy which they could recycle. Development of the new containers was very quick and, as far as I can establish, is pretty much unchanged 100 years on. Useful stuff, paper.
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a spoon … or it could be a fun challenge to eat wet boba balls with chopsticks 
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Agree, that’s why politicians in Europe are also throwing cotton swabs in the ban. I wonder when will be the turn of Chupa Chups.
No wonder my friend was telling me that she bought some metal straws (she doesn’t live in SF though)
Fishing net, huh?
Using surface samples and aerial surveys, the group determined that at least 46 percent of the plastic in the garbage patch by weight comes from a single product: fishing nets.
Politicians almost everywhere like to pick low hanging fruit and brag about it. Addressing pressing basic needs such as ineffective schooling, clean and safe streets, transparent integrity in government, etc. would actually require the political class to show some backbone and thoughtful energy. Better to gin up a “crisis” and apply a window dressing to claim you’re working for the “people” in these times when loud talk drowns out the sadness of low expectations.
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Did she like the feeling of metal straws? I am thinking of buying either the metal ones or the plastic ones (but we will wash and reuse them). Paper ones are nice, but it seems I create more waste.
Totally agreed.
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I don’t know. She said she bought some metal straws, but haven’t tried them. I can ask her later.
NPR has discussed this. People often do things to feel good more so than actually impacting. For example, there was a study that most people like to install solar panel facing the street so that their neighbors can see them. Yet, the front may not be the more energy efficient place for them…
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Plastic straws are alive and well in nyc unfortunately (along with double bagged plastic bags for about everything). I only ever use a straw for iced coffee and i have taken to asking they put it directly into my thermos - although i must admit i rolled my eyes as i watched the barista put the ice and coffee into a plastic cup, and proceed to use that to pour the iced coffee into my thermos and then discard said plastic cup. 
I was reading about some restaurant using buccatini instead of straws and that sounded kind of brilliant and very eco friendly. If i used straws at home i would try that first, even with the long tiny brushes they sell cleaning a reusable straw isn’t so easy
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Haha, interesting, I must admit the hole is a bit small but yeah why not.
What is their stance on plastic bottles? Serious question from an NJ guy.
Sort of related to low hanging fruit political sociopathy: The Nobel guys (for developing behavioural economics) call it prospect theory , where potential gains or losses drive decisions, rather than final outcome. We would surmise – not being economist qualified – low hanging fruit is among the Nanny State’s vital food groups.
