The Plastic Straw Movement

Within the last 2 years the metal, bamboo and silicone reusable straws movement has boomed. I definitely fell into the metal straw bandwagon, many have joked about the ridiculousness of the growing interest of reusable straws. Others defend the need of plastic bendy straws especially for specific needs. I for one have no problem if individuals need to use disposable straws for health reasons. I came across an article "Cups: Single Use (Disposable) vs. Reusable - An Honest Comparison" by David Evans, that compared 3 different factors that determine the environmental effects of disposable cups and reusable cups. Overall, Evans concluded reusable mugs have a longer lifespan than disposable straws and with good care would have a reduced impact on the environment. While you may not be able to apply the data directly you could correlate a similar results in the production of reusable straws. If you're worried about the energy costs of the production of reusable straws, then it's time to return to the days of just sipping straight from the cup. While this topic may seem obvious I wanted to use it as a tool to open up a space to ask questions. So here I am wondering, is the plastic straw movement turning into the infamous and outmoded plastic bag movement. Will it slowly phase out or have these two disposable products become the mascots of a much bigger problem of the fast, dispensable and excessive culture we live today? Amanda