The straws were started being manufactured on commercial level in 1888. However, their use dates back to 5,000 years ago. The major benefit of using straws is that they are not damaging for your teeth. If you are fond of sugary drinks, your first concern would be to find the ways to prevent sugar from getting in contact with your teeth. Using straws is an effective way to ensure this. The straws we know of are produced using plastic. In today’s age, many of us know about the impact of plastic on our planet. Since straws are used more frequently on a daily basis by a major population of the world, we can imagine how real the danger of further contamination is. Having these facts in mind, there are voices that demand an outright ban on the production of plastic straws in packaging units. But since these straws are quite helpful in the consumption of beverages, the ban is out of the question. In this scenario, many of the people demand for alternatives to plastic straws. The matter of fact is that there are alternatives but none of them is being used on a wider scale. But some of them surely have potential to replace the conventional plastic straws in the future. Biodegradable plastic straws Materials which are used in the making of regular plastic straws are polypropylene or polystyrene. The purpose of using these materials is to keep the costs lower. Biodegradable plastic straws, on the other hand, are made from the plant-based plastics. In this manner, they seem to be a nice alternate to conventional plastic straws; but it’s not the case. While these biodegradable plastic straws biodegrade, they require a certain environment for the process to be initiated. This requirement makes these straws only a little beneficial over conventional straws. Paper straws Since paper is a highly compostable material, a wider production of paper straws is high in demands by the people who are concerned about environment. But the matter of fact is that these straws do not remain usable a few seconds after their use. You might need a number of straws to finish a single drink. In this scenario, using rigid paper straws is a nice option but these straws are costly. Bamboo straws Bamboo is certainly one of the greatest alternatives to plastic when it comes to the production of straws. These straws are strong and highly reusable. You will just need to wash them with soapy water and they are ready to be used again. The option of producing straws from bamboo is certainly under consideration. Grass straws Sedge grass grows in East Asia and it is known for having hollow stem. It makes this stem a fully functional straw. Good thing is that this straw is cheaper, quicker to replenish, and completely free of chemicals. Another advantage of this natural straw is that it is edible and good for your teeth. The only problem with this straw is that it doesn’t have a long shelf life. Fresh straws can remain usable only for 2 weeks and they need to be refrigerated during this entire time. Edible straws These are the straws which you can eat after consuming the beverage. The major advantage of this straw is that it leaves zero mess. These straws are available with and without flavors.
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Burton Inman
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