Julie Havlak writes for Carolina Journal’s Daily Journal that biodegradable replacements for plastic straws are not cheap, nor are they always perfect.
After a video of scientists pulling a bloody straw from a sea turtle’s nose went viral, plastic straws, once a ubiquitous staple, became deplorable outcasts. In North Carolina restaurants, retirement homes, schools, and even nightclubs, customers are going without plastic straws to save the sea turtles — whether they like it or not.
Restaurant owners have started seeking alternatives to plastic straws in the form of compostable paper straws or stainless steel straws. But, this comes with it’s own set of challenges. As the demand for biodegradable straws booms, restaurants are faced with shortages. Some restaurants banned straws altogether in response. Customers have mixed feelings about the straw ban and say that going strawless can make drinking harder for those with disabilities. Those that do not support the plastic straw alternatives are unhappy with the restaurant experience without them and sometimes tip lower because of it.
Read more about what some NC restaurants are doing about plastic straws and how customers feel about it in Julie’s full article here.
