Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

kryotheory t1_ja0aytz wrote

I try really hard to be environmentally conscious, but the quality of most eco-friendly products is shit. Anyone whose ever had their straw melt in their mouth knows what I mean.

254

Sacred_Stardust OP t1_ja11pjs wrote

Big companys love to guilt and blame us for using straws and shit while they pump the air with poison and dump into oceans

226

RevengencerAlf t1_ja22vt2 wrote

To this day people don't realize that the straw thing was the biggest fucking distraction grift, all based on one turtle video and a literal 8th grader doing bad research with no understanding of statistics and science.

89

zdakat t1_ja2ilzl wrote

Is it more likely that customers collectively forced places to switch to those awful straws, or that those places did it on their own because they hoped to score points with the public?

19

[deleted] t1_ja2z3q0 wrote

[deleted]

−12

LaneYoungPS t1_ja313i4 wrote

They don’t thought, every company’s incentive is profits, nothing more nothing less.

15

[deleted] t1_ja317zq wrote

[deleted]

−9

LaneYoungPS t1_ja31ijx wrote

Yes, but in the grand scheme of things similarly to an individual being able to do nothing for the greater good, what good is a mom and pop shop when compared to McDonald’s or apple. It’s feudalism even in the corporate and business sense.

4

[deleted] t1_ja31zjl wrote

[deleted]

−8

LaneYoungPS t1_ja322td wrote

How’s 80/20?

2

TakingADumpRightNow t1_ja34207 wrote

So here’s the thing: I was shocked when I learned what percentage of businesses in the us are considered small businesses. I worked with Intuit for a little while and the numbers are wild. Anecdotally it def feels like 80-20 is reasonable, but that’s just because when a fortune 100 company makes a change, we all notice it, and when Jan’s cookies does it, no one does. The numbered are actually probably closer to 20-80. Crazy, I know.

1

HighNoon1200 t1_ja3i7bo wrote

Every small business near me was required by law to switch to no plastic straws. They never would’ve if not for that.

1

RevengencerAlf t1_ja4218t wrote

Outside of a few small family stores that got caught up in the stupidity nobody changed to these beverages they wanted to do something good. They did it because of perceived market pressure or in some cases dumb local ordinances.

0

ChefJayTay t1_ja3qkxj wrote

Additionally the CA legislation that (thankfully) didn't make it to law...
exempted fast food, coffee, basically everything but table service. Like busboys are secretly throwing straws in the ocean.

2

floatoverblow t1_ja40mw3 wrote

Generally trash makes it to the ocean on the giant barges full of trash and "recycling" we export to other countries to make their problem instead, no one is saying restaurants are just driving up to the local beach and dumping bags of straws there.

2

RevengencerAlf t1_ja67u52 wrote

I still find it hilarious that people still uncritically repeat the "500 million per day" in the US. That would mean we've averaging multiple straws per day per person. Which given the number of people who are likely using few if any, they think there's people out there just using ridiculous amounts.

1

rdabosss t1_ja2d4yy wrote

This is kind of a tricky argument, because those big companies make the products we buy. It's the companies fault AND the consumers fault for supporting them.

3

Sacred_Stardust OP t1_ja412tc wrote

Im a vegetarian, and my pockets are always full of litter I see on the streets, thats how I make my difference. But then again I know one person not eating meat isnt going to stop the factory farm industry, its purely a moral choice for me. But when we live in a society that sells plastic as single use, where everything is wrapped and we use plastic bags instead of paper. The problem isnt with the consumer, its with the producer. Can you even go 3 days without using something that has plastic in it or came in plastic packaging? or was brought home in plastic bags? Its fucked up and when big companies guilt us into thinking its our fault rather than theirs and the government who endorses it because the oil companies lobby for them it creates a whole other issue ontop of it.

5

csdspartans7 t1_ja31qir wrote

Buddy, companies don’t pollute for fun, they sell this stuff because we buy it.

0

Dekachonk t1_ja2de3g wrote

A reusable straw is also eco-friendly.

10

ThePuduInsideYou t1_ja3be6q wrote

I know this is such a minor gripe and I should just suck it up (literally and figuratively) but I don’t like how my metal straws get really cold from the drink as I’m drinking it. They way they conduct temperature instead of insulating ruins it a bit for me 😬.

3

Bryancreates t1_ja3lgah wrote

I usually use plastic reusable straws (ones that comes with a tumbler) but I’ll never use a metal one again. Not only does it get cold, but I used one while driving (it was brand new) and I hit a pothole and it chipped my front tooth. I was so pissed.

6

Ace-a-Nova1 t1_ja16onz wrote

I went to a huge wedding with an open bar and paper straws. Personally, I went through three to four straws for one cup! We all got our own personalized mason jar glass, so it wasn’t small, but still! There was a barrel full of used soggy straws by the end of the event.

8

kytheon t1_ja3ia62 wrote

Damn I got the question sometimes whether I use plastic, bamboo or paper straws and honestly I just drink from the glass. 🤡

4

SwoleWalrus t1_ja3k31w wrote

If youre good at keeping up with stuff an aluminum straw is where its at

3

Apocros t1_ja3s2rt wrote

There must be different grades of paper straws? I've only ever been served them at Ted's Montana Grill (meh), and while not the best "initial mouthfeel", they were perfectly serviceable; didn't get at all soggy for the duration that I had liquid in my beverage glass. I wouldn't rave about how awesome they were, but they were certainly fit for purpose.

2

blahbleh112233 t1_ja2pcn3 wrote

The weird thing is that PLA plastic is biodegradable and you could make straws from that. But I guess the average consumer would be complaining about x store serving plastic straws

3

lukeasaur t1_ja2sdk2 wrote

The average consumer wouldn't give a shit; anyone who still cares about straws brings their own or doesn't use one anyways. Companies just do this shit to virtue signal to people who aren't that invested but will go "Ooh, fun" and get some flashy press coverage.

(Beyond that, the problem with all biodegradable material is that they won't biodegrade aerobically in landfill conditions, generally speaking; anaerobic biodegradation produces methane, and although methane recapture is becoming more common it's not perfect. Unless a place offers compost, there's not a huge advantage to biodegradeability. And in the case of PLA, that compost needs to be industrial compost -- it won't biodegrade at a meaningful clip in naturally occurring conditions.)

10

blahbleh112233 t1_ja2to5n wrote

Depends on where you live but for example, people living in SF absolutely will put restaurants on blast for not being eco friendly.

−2

runnerr0 t1_ja3d1k0 wrote

This is absolutely true re SF buying habits. Before the take out world was tossed upside down SF’s Zero Waste initiative was pushing hard AF to get restaurants to help us reduce the plastic load. It was rare to not be served food to go in something that was not heading for the green bin. With the Rona we relaxed the requirements but I welcome moving back towards a reducing plastic posture.

0

Magicsword49 t1_ja3op37 wrote

The straw thing always bugged me because it just makes so much more sense to not use a straw.

Edit: To clarify, I meant straws shouldn't be the default. They should be kept around for those who need them.

3

maelie t1_ja3vzq6 wrote

People with braces or sensitive teeth might disagree with you, though.

3

Magicsword49 t1_ja4aso2 wrote

Sorry for the omission. I'm aware that there are legitimate use cases for straws and didn't convey my point well to reflect that.

3

kryotheory t1_ja3xovh wrote

Or paraplegia, missing limbs, motor planning delays, autism, the list goes on. Nobody ever thinks about those of us with disabilities when this conversation happens.

2

Magicsword49 t1_ja4at73 wrote

Sorry for the omission. I'm aware that there are legitimate use cases for straws and didn't convey my point well to reflect that.

1

czarchastic t1_ja4b7d3 wrote

Same with the gum they sell at whole foods. Made entirely environmentally friendly, but I would rather chew nothing than chew gum that breaks apart in your mouth after 5 seconds.

2

Hobear t1_ja38nn6 wrote

I'm down for pasta straws. Do those seem to work better?

1

kryotheory t1_ja3yjc3 wrote

They don't disintegrate as quickly, but they have a taste. I like pasta, but not with my milkshake lol

1

IsildursBane20 t1_ja3xxd0 wrote

Lol your efforts are superfluous. You should see how much waste my factor produces

1

kryotheory t1_ja41v3j wrote

I'm completely aware that an enormous majority of waste comes from corporate processes, not the average consumer. Every little bit helps, even though it does feel pointless most of the time.

1

Protato82 t1_ja3gowj wrote

Just drink from the fucking container

−1

kryotheory t1_ja3xclz wrote

People with motor planning disabilities, dental sensitivity, paraplegia, missing limbs, etc literally can't.

I don't understand the hatred for straws or how people just completely forget that people with disabilities exist.

0

Protato82 t1_ja4n69t wrote

Yeah okay so those people (small fraction of the population) can use straws. Nothing is stopping them. I'm saying that average everyday folk are perfectly capable of drinking from the container instead of whining about their straws.

−1