Best Practices For Using Paper Straws
Eco-friendly paper drinking straws are becoming a big hit with green-conscious folks and businesses. Americans produce around 1.5 billion gallons of ice cream and similar desserts annually; our penchant for sweet things is only matched by our want to make them absolutely charming with decorations like spoons, toppings, and straws! It's tough to give up straws aesthetically, but plastic just isn't a perfect option anymore. Paper can completely replace traditional plastic straws as a disposable option that is much more environmentally friendly.
So why do people still not like them as much as plastic straws? There are abundant complaints of low-quality paper straws practically disintegrating within a few minutes of sitting in a drink.
Obviously, the straw becomes a bit useless when you can't drink anything through it. So what are people doing about this? Well, for one, companies are creating better-quality paper straws that last for at least a couple hours -- long enough to finish a drink.
What can you do to ensure you're not wasting money on useless straws, then? First of all, make sure you're storing your paper drinking straws in a place with low humidity and a low chance of them interacting with water. The more humidity and water they come in contact with before being used, the more likely they are to be compromised before they even touch down in your drink.
Second of all, only put a paper straw in a drink when the drink is just about to be drunk. setting out an array of drinks decorated with paper straws and fruit is pretty, but when a straw spends half the night in a drink, it will start to become soggy before anyone can even begin to enjoy it.
Third, try to sip with mostly your lips. Be aware of how much moisture in and around your mouth makes contact with the tip of the straw. You might notice a kid's paper straw getting soggy faster. That's because they tend to be a little less aware of how much saliva they're depositing when they drink. "Ew", I know, but it's a factor.
Lastly, get enough paper straws so that people won't have to reuse theirs for multiple drinks. Eco-friendly paper straws are just that, eco-friendly, so you shouldn't feel as obligated to use just one as you would with a plastic straw. Plan ahead so your guests can go back for seconds with a fresh straw!
