Hurrah for the environment ... ?

[Pixelated]

I recently took advantage of an offer (found originally on the Book of Faces) for a free packet of three stainless steel straws (and a little cleaning brush) to try to avoid plastic straws in the future.

They showed up today ... mailed in a soft plastic envelope.

AND packed in a plastic packet.

(My cat is currently gnawing on the latter, thus leaving kitty spit all over it ....)

[greek_jester]

Not really thinking there, were they? Then again, they might be falling afoul of packaging regulations, depending on who's shipping them.

[Blue Ginger]

Yeah, packaging regulations can be a bitch.

I have a straws and brush set as well. Each one came in an individual plastic sleeve and then a bigger plastic sleeve. The person I got them from had to sell them like that because it fell under some health and safety regulation in case people didn't wash them before use. It was supposed to cut down the amount of germs/contamination that could be on them.

It's kind of like seeing things like individual bananas or other peel-able fruit and veg shrink-wrapped onto plastic trays.

[csquared]

In their defense, that is far less plastic than continuing to use disposable straws.

[Pixelated]

I hadn't thought of shipping regulations ... thanks for the eye-opener, greek_jester and Blue Ginger.

csquared: That is quite true! Still a bit ironic, though. Now if I can just remember to TAKE THEM WITH ME when I go to eat out ... I can stop getting glasses of WATER with straws in them!

Some places give you the wrapped straw, but I'm not sure what happens if you don't use it ... do they throw it out anyway? (Probably ... health regulations and all that ...) Other places just stick the straw right into the glass. I have to remember to ASK for NO STRAW, PLEASE.

[LadyofArc]

It's kind of like seeing things like individual bananas or other peel-able fruit and veg shrink-wrapped onto plastic trays.

Have you seen the show "War on Waste?" (hosted by Craig Reucassel ) He talks about that tendency for supermarkets to do this.

FWIW, we bought some reusable produce bags for when we go and do our shopping. They are surprisingly stretchy (Got them from Onya )

[Dreamstalker]

The coffee bars at my store now have paper straws, which only work if you down a cold beverage quickly. I bought a set of silicone straws years ago, and was going to put a few in my backpack but I think mom threw them out >_<