• Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de
    13·
    13 days ago

    it’s weird how presumably neurotypical people complain about paper straws feeling weird, but my autistic ass couldn’t give less of a shit about their texture.

    do you chew on them, or what?

    • IrateAnteater@sh.itjust.works
      8·
      13 days ago

      The odd time I end up eating fast food and getting a paper straw, it’s the fact that it goes mushy before I finish my drink. I think that’s the texture issue people are talking about.

          • TheLadyAugust@lemmy.world
            1·
            12 days ago

            Out of curiosity, what businesses are you getting these straws from? The few times I got a paper straw I didn’t really notice an issue other than the texture on my lips. I wonder if those companies are just skipping on the quality. The good paper straws probably cost more than the plastic ones right now and I’d bet their trying to meet the same margins, or tighter.

      • merc@sh.itjust.works
        1·
        12 days ago

        The really bad experiences I’ve had with straws is at movie theatres. In that case you’re given a pretty big drink in a flimsy cup, and you’re slowly drinking it over a couple of hours.

        There’s no way that the paper straw holds up in those circumstances. You also don’t want to drink without the straw, because the cup is so flimsy that if you try to drink from it like a regular cup/glass it’s likely to collapse. I have permanent metal / rubber straws at home, but of course I never remember to bring them with me when I go to a movie, since I only go a couple of times a year.

        The only solution I’ve found is to take 3-4 paper straws with me, and change them out over the course of the movie.

    • JamieDub86@piefed.socialEnglish
      1·
      12 days ago

      My only problem with them is you need a spare.

      That and why is there still a plastic lid, and I dont think that the cup is recyclable due to the coating.

    • TheEighthDoctor@lemmy.zipEnglish
      1·
      12 days ago

      And I just hate every straw because they change the texture of the bubbles, which I realize it’s a very autistic thing to say

    • AlligatorBlizzard@sh.itjust.works
      0·
      13 days ago

      I think they’ve gotten better, or the ones a lot of people are familiar with are just kinda miserable. I’m most familiar with the ones from when I worked at Disney’s Animal Kingdom like fifteen years ago. They were texturally kinda strange and would get mushy at the top partway through an American-sized soda. They used those straws because the regular plastic ones could have been harmful to some of the animals in the park and I was lead to believe that those straws were pretty common in zoos in general.

      • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
        1·
        13 days ago

        I think there was only one time that I had a paper straw and thought that it was good enough. But it felt… expensive? In my mouth. Like you could tell they hated to have to shell out for that. Just to have straws that are possibly as acceptable replacement.

  • BeeegScaaawyCripple@lemmy.world
    12·
    12 days ago

    the only “straws” i use now are the built-in straws on my water bottles. when dad was dying, he had drop-neck and bendy straws let him drink on his own. something about both being a straw and at whatever angle he needed for his mouth, since he rarely stood or sat entirely upright. he could not drink directly from a glass without burying his nose in it or spilling half of it. for me it’s not one of those “hey, now that this effects me” bullshits, it’s more “hey, now that i understand how necessary they are in specific contexts” bullshits.

    if they can make a corn or paper bendy straw that functions properly, i’m all for it. until then, there are much bigger and better things to worry about than straws.

    • pipes@sh.itjust.works
      11·
      12 days ago

      Thank you for this perspective because I’m one of those who never saw the appeal to straws.

      I just wanna say that paper straws are lined with PFAS and similar substances, I would NOT use them at all. Mark my words they’ll be banned in the EU in 20 years.

      I’d rather try a pasta straw, if the metal ones are not viable. If using plastic, prefer a more rigid plastic if possible, Policarbonate (like in a Nalgene bottle) is safer than Polyethylene; or at least I would avoid them with hot drinks.

    • lengau@midwest.social
      4·
      12 days ago

      I hate that restaurants will give me (non bendy) straws even when I specifically ask to not get a straw.

    • InFerNo@lemmy.ml
      2·
      12 days ago

      It might sound silly, but sippy cups are also an option. You can lift and drink from the cup without spilling that way

  • Uriel238 [all pronouns]@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    3·
    13 days ago

    Here in the house we have re-usable, washable plastic straws.

    Out and about I’ll use the disposable straws because the whole turtle-death thing was over-exaggerated. (Microplastics from automotive tires are killing us, though. There are real great filters to be navigated)

    I also just don’t eat out much, especially since the 2020 lockdown.

    • WALLACE@feddit.uk
      2·
      12 days ago

      We have silicone ones but I don’t like them as they retain the taste of washing up liquid on them

    • IMALlama@lemmy.world
      1·
      12 days ago

      Not sure how up to date this is, but synthetic fibers are the #1 source of micro plastics, followed by car tires and city dust. Car tires are absolutely a contributor and we should cut our reliance on personal transportation for more reasons than just micro plastics. In addition, we need to move away from polyester, nylon and a slew of other materials.

      Most household furnishings used to be made of natural fibers. These days carpets, couch covers and filling, curtains, clothing, etc are often derived from a petrochemical. I suspect oil companies will continue to pivot into these areas to continue as we very slowly ween ourselves of gasoline.

      • Uriel238 [all pronouns]@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        1·
        12 days ago

        This raises a big question of what the heck comprises city dust. Is there a microplastic element to concrete or asphalt? Is it just more tire deterioration? City dust is a conspicuously vague category.

  • Melvin_Ferd@lemmy.world
    2·
    13 days ago

    Remember when people lost it because disabled people wouldn’t be able to drink again and then they all died of dehydration after these draconian straw laws severely impacted my day

    • ethaver@kbin.earth
      2·
      13 days ago

      I mean it would actually impact my ability to hydrate certain patients under certain circumstances if there really ever 0 plastic straws anywhere ever.

    • Frezik@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
      22·
      13 days ago

      I remember when disability rights groups pointed out that these laws were placing extra burden on disabled people that weren’t being put on everyone else.

      These laws accomplish nothing except make liberals feel good that they actually passed some kind of environmental rules. Meanwhile, conservatives are making sure they can legally torture gay kids, let billionaires get away with pedophilia, and burn lots and lots of coal. But we passed straw bans in a couple of cities. Yay us.

  • GissaMittJobb@lemmy.ml
    1·
    13 days ago

    I feel like this might be an American problem, with straws being more necessary for drinking in cars, which are all too common there.

    I rarely drive and basically never drink out of a straw, there’s just no point when you can drink directly out of the cup.

    • emeralddawn45@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      1·
      12 days ago

      If you want like a mixed drink or a pop out of a glass while lying on the couch or in bed a straw is useful too, thats the only time i ever use them. My fiance likes a ton of ice in everything she drinks so she uses our metal straws for everything. I still prefer drinking out a can or a bottle with a screw on cap for most things when im lying down.

    • rumba@lemmy.zipEnglish
      1·
      13 days ago

      I feel like this might be an American problem

      Fast Food Nation, the paper/plastic cups are flimsy and need a lid for structure.

      We get so used to it that when we eat out, we want straws.

      I’ve never really cared. IF they bring wrapped straws, i’ll generally not open it and stash it in my car for the next time a fast food straw breaks. If it’s open, I use it because it seems more of a waste to throw it away unused.

      There probably is some decent point to the server groping all over the outside of your glass or the dishwasher handling it, but i’m not really a germophobe.

    • JackbyDev@programming.devEnglish
      1·
      13 days ago

      I’m unsure how much benefit reusable straws really are because at a restaurant, they’re probably gonna give you straws anyways and I don’t think they’d put unused ones back in the box, especially post covid.

      • zerofk@lemmy.zip
        1·
        13 days ago

        The only thing that comes with a straw in the restaurants I visit, is cocktails.

          • AlolanYoda@mander.xyz
            1·
            13 days ago

            Your comment made me realize that used to be the same for me, but it’s been years since the last time I remember being given a straw. I guess they’re phasing them out