Why plastic-free straws? Because throwaway plastic straws suck – and I don’t just mean literally.
They can kill wildlife – like one almost did in the case of this poor sea turtle.
The darn things are made from petroleum – aka, OIL – and once they’re loose in the environment, they can last thousands of years.
Manufacturing plastic pollutes the air, emitting toxic emissions like benzene, toluene, xylene, and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that “affect the health of everyone within breathing distance,” says renowned plastic-free activist Beth Terry.
They can break into tiny pieces of micro plastic, then get ground into sea salt or get embedded in oysters and other seafood, so we end up eating plastic along with our dinner.
PLUS, they’re designed to be trash. Use them once, and throw them away. What a waste!
I’ve updated this post to include new information and new straws. Read on!!
You Don’t Have To Give Up All Straws – Just Plastic Ones
No doubt about it: sometimes, straws come in handy. It’s hard to drink a root beer float (my personal summer guilty pleasure) without a straw. Some people have sensitive teeth and find it easier to drink a cold beverage if they use a straw. And it can be easier for little kids especially to sip a drink using some kind of straw.
So the point isn’t to give up straws per se – just the plastic ones (I’m not big on throwaway paper straws, either).
You know how you take your own reusable shopping bags to the store, and drink from your own reusable water bottles? Now, there are reusable straws you can make your own, too.
Here are 10 Plastic-Free straws that will help you kick your plastic straw habit.
10 Plastic-Free Straws That Will Make It Easy to Kick Your Plastic Straw Habit
NOTE: I don’t recommend switching to paper straws because paper straws can only be used once. Even though they’re not the pollution problem plastic is, they do just add to the trash we throw away.
Stainless Steel Straws – Highly durable. Easy to pack. Angled or straight, depending on how you like to sip. Rounded and smooth, so very pleasant and comfortable to stip. Buy them in a two-pack or in a set to accommodate the whole family or a group.
Stainless Steel Straw & Brush Set The straws can be washed in the dishwasher, but the straw brush 
makes it easy to thoroughly clean the inside of the straw.
Stainless Steel 2 Pack One is good, two are better!
Mini Stainless Steel Straws – 4 pack These are idea for kids cups or tumblers, cocktail glasses and small glasses of water or juice.
8 Pack in a Pouch – Want some regular width and some wide? Get four of each, plus cleaning brushes and a pouch to carry them all in. (Note: This is an Amazon product, not EarthHero.)
Silicone – Straws made from premium food-grade, FDA approved 
silicone. They’re durable, flexible, reusable, washable and easy to travel with.
Set of 12 Silicone and Stainless Steel Drinking Straws with Cleaning Brushes
Glass Straws – Help eliminate the millions of plastic straws Americans throw away every day with this heavy duty and dishwasher safe plastic-free straw.
Wide Glass Smoothie Straw: This size straw is perfect for thick smoothies, milkshakes, Slurpees, and pureed cold soups.
Regular-width Glass Straw: This straw is similar in size to the straw normally served with a glass of water or soda in a restaurant or fast-food place. It comes with a travel pouch and a cleaning brush.
Bamboo – Bamboo straws are reusable to a point. They will eventually splinter and wear out, so they’re probably not the best option for kids. On the positive side, they are made from the bamboo plant and can be composted with other organic material, as long as they haven’t been chemically treated.
EarthHero sells a pack of 12 organic bamboo straws that can be reused many times, then composted.
Skip the Straw – Use a Sippy Cup
Sippy cups are the perfect plastic-free straw option for toddlers and younger children. Take a look at this bundle of four 8 oz. stainless steel toddler cups, along with four colorful silicone spill proof sippy lids. They work well at home or in the car. At a restaurant, ask your server to put your child’s drink in their own cup rather than in a cup with a straw.
Eat the Straw!
A company called Loliware is in the process of developing “the worlds first edible hyper-compostable drinking straw.” In other words, a straw you can eat. It’s made of seaweed, can be flavored, and is non GMO. It’s not on the market quite yet, but the company has gotten Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban’s buy-in, so look for it in a drink coming to you soon.
It’s clear now that the Plastic-Straw boycott has entered its stupid phase.Here’s what intelligent people can do: give up straws completely.You’re not a child any more. OR, if you insist on using a straw, re-use the next plastic straw you get and keep on re-using it. It will last practically forever, which is an advantage if you KEEP ON using it and a disadvantage ONLY if you toss it after one use. The idea of BUYING a straw of alternative material is just plain stupid. Do you think stainless steel, glass and silicone are ecologically clean? Grow up! Yes, bamboo is a renewable crop (it’s just a kind of grass) but do you really believer processing bamboo into commercial products in also a clean process? This boycott is nothing more than a fad that will have no practical effect. Want to help the environment? Avoid or at least re-use ALL disposable items. No more Bic lighters and throwaway ballpoints and plastic shopping bags and drinking cups; don’t accept any more plastic cutlery with your takeout orders. Buy your beer in refillable “growlers.” Some stores now let you refill olive-oil bottles (Brooklyn Fare offers a $2 discount if you refill.) Don’t kid yourself that focusing on one item will make a difference.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. While I think it’s a good idea to buy alternatives, I also agree that ideally, the more we can avoid disposable items, the better. And while focusing on one item won’t be enough, it is the way to start. Thanks again for your comment.