I like turtles. I mean, who doesn’t? But I like my straws too, and I’m struggling with the “no straw” rule that’s happening in California to “Save the Turtles.” I mean, I recycle. I’m earth responsible, but I want my straws. Straws in iced soy lattes are how I start my writing day. It’s not just practical, it’s a ritual.
That’s my dog, Fiona. She likes straws too.
Yes, I know the new caps at Starbucks are made to drink without straws, but here’s the thing, I have an overbite. I never had braces, so I want my straw. Besides, what do they think the caps are going to do for the turtles? Will they have hats to wear?
So I dislike these new rules. I dislike that I must live the way people tell me to because a nine-year-old girl did a science project. I’m not a fan of paper straws. (Is anyone a fan of paper straws?) The metal ones make the coffee taste weird. And no one seems to care that McDonald’s and Taco Bell, etc., still have straws.
I only drink Starbucks, FYI, because they have virtually killed the independent coffee roasters. For most of my life, I went to Dana Street Coffee (where I wrote a large portion of my Ashley Stockingdale series) and Coffee Society. I moved away from Dana Street and Coffee Society is no more. A moment of silence.
So while the straw dilemma rages on, I’ll be muddling through with my own straws. (In restaurants now, you must ask for straws. They cannot give them to you willingly.) When I went to Colorado, the waitress told me I could keep my straw as a souvenir. Now, if you’re like most people, this issue has very little impact on your life. But to me? To me, it’s one more freedom slowly ebbed away where I must conform or get out…
Maybe I need to write a poem — an Ode to Straws…
Christians Read 
Yeah, like you the whole straw thing doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. I mean there are SO many other “single use” plastic things in our world, why concentrate on just a straws? I’ve often thought of buying bulk bendy straws in protest….lol!! I can still find them at our Walmart. Paper straws….ewww…I agree, it’s just not the same. Those metal ones do make whatever you are drinking taste like metal (at least to me).
And like you, we do as much recycling as we can. So it’s not like we aren’t environmentally conscience or do what we can, where we can. Maybe we all should move to Canada…lol!
I enjoyed your post and had to commiserate with you. It brought me a smile!
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I definitely feel your pain! I drink everything with a straw. Fortunately the no straw law has not made its way to my small town yet. I don’t know how I would live without them.
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I live in a small town in Oregon so it hasn’t really hit us yet either. But I did read in the paper not long ago where our stores will be getting rid of plastic grocery bags. Probably by next year or sooner.
We went out to dinner Friday night and I didn’t get a straw with my drink. So I asked the waitress for one and she said that they couldn’t just give them out but had to wait for the customer ask for one. Oy! But yet what was the oyster crackers for my clam chowder wrapped in, plastic! The irony, huh?
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Not only is that irony, but the cups Starbucks still use. And the data is that Asia is at the root of the straw issue. I’m all for doing my part, but this one does hit close to home. I’ve gotten used to the bag thing and that doesn’t bother me any longer. Once I got used to remembering them.
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I agree, it doesn’t really make much sense overall, getting rid of one plastic item, but keeping so many others. And why are they picking on plastic when styrofoam should be banned too? … By the way, my parents live in NY and they have banned the plastic bags there too. I recently sent them a package and didn’t have any bubble wrap, so I stuffed the box with plastic grocery bags. They were thrilled! 🤣
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THat happened to me too. Someone sent me a package with plastic bags in it. I was so excited. I hoarded them like Gollum. LOL
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It’s coming for you, Bridget. LOL
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LOL. I live in a small town. So hopefully it will be a while. 😂
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I buy straws in 100-count bags at the grocery store. I’ve purchased extra, after I heard the nonsense going on in Cali, just in case it moved a state over. 🙂 I use a straw every morning in my breakfast drink because one too many times the milkshake like consistency would sometimes attack me and make a mess. With a straw, it all stays safely in the glass. Trying to politely say I have the misfortune of being messy sometimes when I drink anything. Paper straws don’t work; they unravel far too quickly and taste like paper. A mental straw sounds dangerous, especially for those of us who are a bit klutzy. I agree with you that there are so many other problems that could be tackled and do more good.
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Metal straws are dangerous for the klutzy. I can testify to this!
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Wow, Kris, and out here in the Wild West we take such things for granted.
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