Starbucks to Eliminate Plastic Straws • Page 2

As far as I know, it's just plastic straws. This might mean drink standards will change to use the sip lids but from what I understand, there will be another option available (maybe a paper straw?) that they said they're still thinking about. I do think the ban is just plastic straws though

 

The bendy plastic straw was originally used in hospitals and vital for people with disabilities

This is a really good article about it- in short though, plastic straws are sturdy and help the seriously disabled not choke to death.

Yes, no one NEEDS Starbucks, but this becoming a wide trend is dangerous for people who rely on these things. It's a really glaring example of activists leaving out disabled people.

 

You're 100% correct, and that's my fault for not fully understanding! I'll read the article once I'm off work, but thank you for linking me to it!

 

we have compostable straws at work and it's awesome. we can put all of our disposables (cups, togo containers, utensils) in one bin. they're a lil 'crunchier' than plastic but they don't dissolve like paper after time. there are very good alternatives out there

 

My first clinical in nursing school was on a geriatric floor, and there were so many patients we were only able to help feed through straws. One patient would only take her medication if she could chase it down with a sip of Pepsi, which she could only do through a straw.

Definitely agree with everything you’ve said here. I’m glad Starbucks has at least said they’re aware some people need straws and will have them available.

 

Of course!! I’m glad to share. It’s something I honestly NEVER thought abt until a friend of mine taught me about it, so I just wanted to pass it along and make it part of the conversation here.

 

Yeah people dont NEED Starbucks but people should be able to have it if they want. Not calling out anyone here specifically cause tbh I'm tired af and cant remember what was said lmao, but I've heard some language of like who cares Starbucks is a luxury anyway, but like ppl with disabilities deserve luxuries too!

Also obligatory paper straws are cute but trash that dissolve and get soggy. I feel like good alternatives are becoming more available thru Amazon which is nice

 

A few weeks ago I ordered a set of metal straws, had two different sizes and had straight and angles straws. They're pretty nice. Haven't had the need to use them too much but I like them a lot. Never tried the paper straws before.

 

Paper straws if made good, can be really great. I just personally haven't used a ton that haven't fell apart after a few minutes minus a time or two.
Klean Kanteen makes really nice angled metal straws that I love!

 

In my country (Scotland) there is a tax (5p) on plastic bags to encourage people to recycle their current ones. Does anywhere else do that? Not complaining, genuinely think its made a big difference to a lot of peoples mindset.

 

Here certain cities do it but I wish it was more widespread. In my town they dont charge for plastic bags and ppl are wasteful af. The other day I bought a bag of cashews and the cashier put them in a plastic bag before I noticed and I was like they're already in a bag why do I need to put them in another bag when it's literally the only item I purchased?? Like they dont even ask if u wanna bag they'll always put it in a plastic bag no matter how small or easy to carry the item is. Its silly.

 

If anyone is looking for a metal straw, the friend I mentioned above makes and sells them. They have a few different colors and they come in nice fabric carrying cases she sews herself. They also come with a pipe cleaner. She's an independent maker from Salinas, CA, and rad af.

 

yeah it’s funny because like, even where I am we’ll have to tell them that they can consolidate more items and other times they’ll double bag bread like it’s in danger of breaking through. I’m gonna be living in Chicago soon where I believe bags are charged for. I’ve also had at gas stations and delis and stuff them giving me straws or utensils when I didn’t ask for them or don’t even really need them

 

Definitely going to pick one of these up!

 

I used to work at a video rental store and people would ask me to bag their single DVD and print off a full page receipt and I would get so irritated haha.

 

I always just leave the bag

 

I usually have a reusable bag or ask them not to, or I do self checkout and bag my own to use less. I haaate when I forget my reusable bag cause I hate accruing plastic bags that I have to venture into wal mart to recycle cause they're the only ones who do it. I have so many in the cabinet under my sink its overflowing smh. I wish they'd charge for bags for extra incentive for me to remember. I keep one in my car but sometimes I bring it home and forget.


I remembered my reusable bag last night tho, go me!

 

Chicago charges a 7 cent tax per plastic bag. I really have been using less as a result.

 

But at the same time, hospitals aren't getting rid of them nor would I think they would be unavailable to those that need them still. A major franchise who provides millions of cups with straws in which half of them wind up as litter absolutely need to take strides to help our planet. This is one step in the right direction and you're using words like "dangerous" in regards to it which, to me, is very misleading. This action from Starbucks company alone is not putting anyone in danger, it's an attempt to help with a major issue and influence other companies to be conscious of their waste. The percentage of disabled people whom need to use bendable straws are quite possibly inconvenienced now if they go to Starbucks. If there becomes a ban on producing plastic straws and hospitals/other health care providers no longer have access to them, then yes I would see that the dramatic switch without an alternative could be a major problem for those in need. You see this as a "glaring" example of a bad thing, and I see a company attempting to do something good which they stride to do quite often.

 

How good is it really if it leaves a sizable portion of people unable to consume their products? How many times are disabled people asked to just be inconvenienced or to just not do something because abled people in power don't want to accommodate them? These actions don't happen in a vacuum. It is glaring and it is dangerous because with wide-spread bans, it becomes another way to exclude and marginalize a group of people that already have to fight to exist every day. Why should they be excluded from luxury items? Why should they have to give it up when there are many other ways to tackle this problem? It sets a precedent that tells disabled people that they aren't worth thinking about in these conversations.

Bitch Media wrote a good article about this exact topic that I think is enlightening for people who have maybe never had to think through the lens of living life as a disabled person: Banning Plastic Straws Is a New Twist in Environmentalism's Erasure of Disability

In a recent NPR article (Why People With Disabilities Want Bans On Plastic Straws To Be More Flexible), it's estimated that straws make up 7% of plastic waste- not a small number when considering the scale, but it's important to keep in mind that there are much larger waste problems that could be tackled/legislated without leaving out our fellow people. The responsibility to reduce waste should first and foremost be on the companies causing the problems, not on individuals whose efforts amount to almost zero in the face of corporate waste. In the case of straws, like I said in my first post, the responsibility should be on abled people like myself to opt-out of using a straw. If people care as much as they say they do, it would be easy for them to decline the straw and for the company to adjust production numbers accordingly.

 

Kayla, I highly respect your opinion and love reading what you post on this site, and you're easily one of the most well-articulated posters and I think it's a gift to be able to have someone like you informing others online. Though, I feel the points you made here are the same to what I already responded to. Disabled people are not "banned" from using straws. Starbucks is making a move that is within their power, they don't have the ability to tell people where to put their trash or what to use for drinking. It's a great move and will help decrease waste and it is one of few moves that they can actually do. Disabled people are not barred from being able to drink any Starbucks drinks because of this, and it is not as major of detriment to their living capabilities as you're making it sound. Inconvenienced and "dangerous" are not the same. Being inconvenienced is something that all people deal with in millions of different ways every day. They should most definitely have the option of using a straw, and Starbucks stating that they're looking to have an alternative, biodegradable choice is showing that they're not turning a blind eye to this issue you've brought to light. It's not the case that they "don't care to accomodate." Again, this isn't a "wide-spread" ban, plastic straws are still going to be manufactured and available to the public. Starbucks is just choosing not to use them anymore. We should hope that companies want to take steps towards major issues like so, as opposed to finding every little facet of fault we can in something that can actually be very good.

 

I find it so questionable when environmentalism is centered on individual responsibility like reusable bags or carrying around a metal straw instead of the capitalist mode of production but hey.

Like...i t's nice, but really so minuscule.

 

Things like those are absolutely not minuscule in the long-term view at all. Do you not know how detrimental plastic bags are to our environment? How many animals die from consuming plastic or becoming caught in those in the wild? Marine life as well. That's one ban i'm all for supporting and will be behind 100%. A consumer shouldn't feel wronged for having to carry a reusable bag inside a grocery store from their trunk. Specifically Americans, who refuse to believe stuff like this is actually a huge normality in many other countries.

 

I mean I try to make responsible choices as a consumer but I'm not gonna pretend that my individual action is even a dent compared to the waste of corporations. I think people as individuals should make a difference where they can and take responsibility for their choices, but I feel like big companies are also disingenuous af for passing things onto consumers instead of reducing their waste in a meaningful way.

 

pretty much this.

there is a profit in wasteful and toxic production and no profit motivated strategy or campaign is gonna help the environment.