OT: Paper straws

[intlzncster]

What always cracked me up is people will pull up to a convenience store gas pump and complain about paying $3.50 per gallon of gas. They will then walk inside and pay $8.00 per gallon of water. This is what they are paying if they buy a 16oz water for $1. Bottled water is the biggest racket going.

I don't know why I never bothered to do the actual math. That's hilarious.

Bottled water has it's place. It's good for power outages and other emergencies, natural disasters, areas where the water is foul, etc. But on the whole, you're spot on.

 

[huskiesNhoos]

China stopped taking everyone's recycling so it's all going in the landfill anyways

 

[intlzncster]

Nah I am a toxicologist. The whole plastic leaching estrogenic compounds is fake science. We can debate it but not here

Is it just because it's a non significant amount? Or were studies like this total BS? Estrogenic chemicals often leach from BPA-free plastic products that are replacements for BPA-containing polycarbonate products

We're in a freakin paper straw/recycling thread so not a big deal to discuss.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Paper straws are a way to make people feel like they're doing something wonderful for the environment. Businesses will use them for but have stated they are mostly garbage.

I live in a city that is changing from plastic bags to paper which everyone agrees with. Now he is the rub. They want the businesses to charge a dime a bag which going back to the business and if they don't they will be fined $45 dollars per incident.

I was buying dime bags 25 years ago.

 

[Scrutineer]

What always cracked me up is people will pull up to a convenience store gas pump and complain about paying $3.50 per gallon of gas. They will then walk inside and pay $8.00 per gallon of water. This is what they are paying if they buy a 16oz water for $1. Bottled water is the biggest racket going.

Ten years ago some people at work were complaining about the price of gas and I asked them if they bought bottled water. When they said yes I asked them if they knew they were paying about $10 per gallon for the water. The stunned looks and silence were priceless.

 

[Deepster]

So I don’t use straws for anything other than an iced coffee.

And I can’t buy that the straws gum up the machines and the solution are awful paper straws when the mountain of used keurig cups are going to eclipse Everest by 2026.

 

[Purple Stein]

The self-righteousness of the anti-straw people makes me want to buy many, many packages of straws and dump them all in the river.

Like, seriously. The whole world is falling apart but let’s spend countless hours and lobbying dollars to make it flipping impossible for my 3 year old to drink his Danimals.

Gah.

 

[intlzncster]

And I can’t buy that the straws gum up the machines and the solution are awful paper straws when the mountain of used keurig cups are going eclipse Everest by 2026.

Those aren't supposed to be recycled at all. Unless you want to separate the components.

It's the thinness of the straws that does it. Slip through cracks in the conveyor belt.

 

[QDOG5]

Forget paper, I love plastic. Stacey Augmon is my favorite player.

 

[T-Squared]

I don't need a straw with my bourbon. I'm environmentally sound.

 

[Greathusky]

The self-righteousness of the anti-straw people makes me want to buy many, many packages of straws and dump them all in the river.

Like, seriously. The whole world is falling apart but let’s spend countless hours and lobbying dollars to make it flipping impossible for my 3 year old to drink his Danimals.

Gah.

This is why! A turtle with a straw up his nose.

T.

 

[Dove]

This is why! A turtle with a straw up his nose.

T.View attachment 42246

Turtles with coke habits are a bad example to use to support environmentally safe drinking solutions.

 

[Deepster]

Turtles with coke habits are a bad example to use to support environmentally safe drinking solutions.

You’re three coke jokes too late to the party, Dove.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Or something like that....

Are paper golf balls next?

 

[Yardigan]

Nah I am a toxicologist. The whole plastic leaching estrogenic compounds is fake science. We can debate it but not here

Pretty sure the plastic leaching is real...directly tied to global warming I heard.

 

[Yardigan]

I was buying dime bags 25 years ago.

Probably at about "$45 per incident" I would imagine. Probably $40 back then, actually...I mean, that's what I heard....

 

[HuskyHawk]

It may have something to do with single stream recycling. Plastic straws and the small plastic caps on bottles can gum up (not a scientific term) the system. Not sure how but I read that they just end up not being part of the recycled stream and are disposed of as ordinary trash. In any event it can be a major cost item for recycling. For straws I just don't use them any more. For plastic bottle caps I just toss them in the garbage and recycle the bottle. I live in Florida so I drink a lot of water and I am outdoors a lot so I am more and more relying on personal water bottles which I wash and reuse.

It has everything to do with single stream recycling. Same with the plastic bags they ban everywhere. They gum up the works.

Meanwhile, enough with the oceans. U.S. generated waste doesn’t end up in the oceans. 90% of the stuff in the oceans comes from a handful of countries in Asia. Places without recycling and trash bins everywhere. Where people just throw stuff in the local river.

 

[CL82]

Are paper golf balls next?

Tofu golf balls.

 

[andy34]

The self-righteousness of the anti-straw people makes me want to buy many, many packages of straws and dump them all in the river.

Like, seriously. The whole world is falling apart but let’s spend countless hours and lobbying dollars to make it flipping impossible for my 3 year old to drink his Danimals.

Gah.

Yea exactly lol. The looming global ecological collapse will hardly be stopped by a couple hundred less tons of plastic. In fact, if it makes people think they're accomplishing anything, the straw ban is probably actively harmful.

 

[Chief00]

It may have something to do with single stream recycling. Plastic straws and the small plastic caps on bottles can gum up (not a scientific term) the system. Not sure how but I read that they just end up not being part of the recycled stream and are disposed of as ordinary trash. In any event it can be a major cost item for recycling. For straws I just don't use them any more. For plastic bottle caps I just toss them in the garbage and recycle the bottle. I live in Florida so I drink a lot of water and I am outdoors a lot so I am more and more relying on personal water bottles which I wash and reuse.

If they screw up recycling, throw them in the garbage - in CT all garbage is incinerated - so the turtles are safe.

 

[Purple Stein]

Yea exactly lol. The looming global ecological collapse will hardly be stopped by a couple hundred less tons of plastic. In fact, if it makes people think they're accomplishing anything, the straw ban is probably actively harmful.

Right? It’s the legislative equivalent of “thought and prayers.”

 

[Jaker]

gee, just hand out sippy cups to everyone

 

[alphasigko]

Mr. McGuire: I want to say one word to you. Just one word.
Benjamin: Yes, sir.
Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?
Benjamin: Yes, I am.
Mr. McGuire: Plastics.
Benjamin: Exactly how do you mean?
Mr. McGuire: There's a great future in plastics. Think about it. Will you think about it?

Could be the most accurate and prophetic conversation in a movie of all time. In 1968, the plastics industry was just coming of age.

 

[Dove]

You’re three coke jokes too late to the party, Dove.

I just read the thread. Mine was best.

 

[August_West]

So I don’t use straws for anything other than an iced coffee.

And I can’t buy that the straws gum up the machines and the solution are awful paper straws when the mountain of used keurig cups are going to eclipse Everest by 2026.

That and fireball nippers

 

[August_West]

The straw debate is so dumb all the way around. Does anyone REALLY need ANY kind of straw to consume liquids?

 

[Devland]

The straw debate is so dumb all the way around. Does anyone REALLY need ANY kind of straw to consume liquids?

Yes. Have you ever tried drinking from a cup after your mouth was numbed from novocaine?

 

[Danzz]

The delivery was a joke. I do think that drinking with a straw is still really weird

When I was about 13 an older kid told me that drinking out of a straw wasn't cool. It stuck I guess because I still don't do it.