Lol, notice you diss “feel good efforts,” but willingly tell us yours. Sorry, but little bits do add up. The alternative is to give up and live only for one’s own wants.
And Tatin might suggest you don’t need red Solo cups to play beer pong. Back in the day, people used jars or other glassware. Let’s not forget the pollution created by manufacturing and transporting. And washing.
Just do your best, folks. Try to be aware.
Actually, ours were done without fanfare, public announcement or kudos. In fact, some - like the metal lunch box, butcher paper wrapped sandwiches and washing foil - were ridiculed. The actions and behaviors weren’t undertaken to garner attention, accolades, political gain or to announce to the world our elevated moral status. Just did it because it was the right - and financially prudent - thing to do. And therein lies the difference.
As for the glass jars for beer pong…well…those are currently in use for our home canned goods. Once the pickles, pears and jam is eaten they will become available.
“The actions and behaviors weren’t undertaken to garner attention, accolades, political gain or to announce to the world our elevated moral status. Just did it because it was the right - and financially prudent - thing to do.”
You’re being awfully judge-y and assuming you know others’ motivations when you don’t. Bet most people are doing it because they care about the environment and our planet. That isn’t driven by wanting to garner attention. Why so angry about it? Seems like you’re “triggered” by this thread, to use your wording. I really don’t get it. We’re just chatting about reducing usage of single use products and creating less trash. You can care and make some personal changes or, as evidenced by your posts, you could care less and do your own thing. Maybe you fall into the “fake climate change” camp, too. :-??
Your practices seem very much driven by fiscal motivations much like my grandparents and, to a lesser extent, my parents did as a result of living through the great depression. The motivation is different from environmentalism but the results were that things were reused and not throw away which was better for the environment, IMO. Now, so much is made to be used and tossed, even what is referred to as durable goods (appliances and such) aren’t as durable as they used to be creating too much crap. Cars are lasting longer which is a good thing.
I am going to jump in to defend dietz a little bit, I agree that some of the “movements” are a bit ridiculous. Decreasing the use of straws is good but is it an effective use of government resources to mandate/legislate the issue? If we are going to legislate to reduce plastic waste maybe something other than straws would be more impactful.
How about legislating retail packaging be reduced? Why does a one inch USB drive require a six in square package (that is impossible to remove)? Requiring different packaging of retail items would surely have more of an impact than straws. Why do stores/clothing companies use plastic strips (not sure what to call them) to attached price tags? These are certainly as difficult to recycle as straws, should we legislate that stores start using a different method?
The two examples above are things the consumer has no control over (and there are many others) but would appear to be at least as detrimental as straws. We have a choice to use a straw and those that want to make a difference can. I just think if we are going to expend time and resources legislating why not do it in an area where the consumer can not do it on their own?
Americans reportedly use 500 million straws per day! Even if that number is exaggerated, straws are clearly a problem, not just a feel good measure. They are totally unnecessary. Except for people with medical needs, straws aren’t needed to consume a beverage. It’s something we use for a few minutes then throw away to remain in our environment for up to 200 years.
Not using straws is a simple thing that hopefully leads people to do bigger things, like eliminating all single use plastics.
https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/american-airlines-bans-plastic-straws/
“American Airlines’ announcement is part of a growing movement against single-use plastics, especially straws, which are seen as low-hanging fruit in the broader pursuit of sustainability.”
^ I think that quote sums it up well. It’s not that other plastic products or packaging aren’t an issue. It’s the beauty of the straw free movement - a good start because it is a pretty easy thing to give up for the majority of people and therefore an easy fix. It also gets people thinking and talking about about other ways they can eliminate single-use plastics and that’s all good, IMO. It’s a good first step, as the article also notes.
“If you have a disability that requires the use of a straw or if you just prefer to use one, (lemon water or whatever), no one is saying no to ALL straws.”
You are indeed saying that. It’s right in the title of this thread.
Sounds like you and your community are not a good fit at all.
For those of us living in jurisdictions where little is legislated, it’s up to each person to make their own stand.
“damages done each and every day as cars sit in traffic, idling - for hours on the weekends”
Not to mention the waste of human time and energy. Both wastes are a big pet peeve of mine. Lots of hidden costs in many things that people forget to factor in like saying alternative energy sources are too expensive but not factoring in the cost of pollution or our involvement in parts of the world and, at times, wars just to ensure access to oil.
However, I still think working on the low-hanging fruit like straws is still a good and very easy thing. It doesn’t preclude us from tackling other issues as well.
I figure I offer my community the diversity of thought it desperately needs 
I stopped for a Sonic iced tea after my run this morning and immediately felt guilty because there was the big 'ol straw. I didn’t have my metal one with me, and I love that nice fat plastic straw in those large Sonic drinks. I do reuse it… I really do a lot to minimize my footprint, but there isn’t much these days that won’t make bring on the guilt.
Most of the plastic waste in the garbage is due to our addiction to eating out and convenience foods. I read an article (forgot to save the link), but 31% of plastic waste and the number one offender is food wrappers and containers.
Next is bottle caps
Then plastic bags
Fourth is straws at 8%
Fifth are plastic beverage bottles
Sixth are take out containers
The best thing an individual can do is to cook and bake your own food from raw sources rather than from overly packaged items, don’t eat take out or fast food, and don’t drink soda out of plastic bottles. This is pretty much the way a lot of us grew up.
And it’s healthier.
It’s amazing how the food chain and industry has changed since our own childhood or even just 10-20 years ago. When you go to the grocery store now, so much of the food is processed and packaged. Grocery stores are bigger but much is just junk. I’m sure our public schools are the same as elsewhere in the country - the cafeteria staff no longer cook. They just heat and serve.
The “beginning of the end” to me was when they came out with those frozen Uncrustables PB&J sandwiches wrapped in plastic. Really, how lazy can you be that you can’t throw together a PB&J?
^^^ Maybe you aren’t at home! I loved those PB&Js. What bothers me is our lunch service at work is rotating restaurant/food truck food lines. We have 2 each day. They have a limited but fairly robust menu. We order in the line and our food is given to us in plastic containers/packaging, which we carry to tables or up to our offices and then throw away. It is hugely wasteful and I don’t really have a solution for it- nor is it up to me. Handing them your own plate is just not an option.
In terms of not having to eat from the same “kitchen” each day, the idea of rotating food trucks sounds awesome. The corporate cafeterias I’ve frequented try hard but eating from the same place everyday still gets monotonous. But, good point on the wasteful, throwaway containers.
Another pet peeve of public school cafeterias these days is a lot of the plates/utensils and even trays are now disposable. Gone are the days of dishwashers, both human and machines.
Every Friday H and I go to a local cafe for lunch. The food is served on real plates with real flatware. Water glasses are washable but if you order ice tea or lemonade you get a plastic cup. I usually get an ice tea and put a lid on and get a straw. Since this thread started I have the dilemma each Friday as to whether to grab a straw or not. The nice thing about the plastic cups is I refill it when I’m ready to leave and take it to go. I need to the straw to make drinking while driving easier. I really need to just put a reusable straw in my car. I can drink without a straw while dining and just grab a lid when I leave.
H and I were recently on one of the less touristy islands in French Polynesia and we took a land tour and our guide talked a lot about what they are doing to reduce waste and the fears they have of the ocean temperatures warming. Across from our hotel was a food truck that tourists and locals alike frequented. Aside from our food coming on washable plates we noticed that the locals who were ordering to go brought containers from home.
Just joining in this thread now because I saw a video this morning about taking a resusable straw challenge and I’m going to do it: the biggest question is glass, bamboo, or stainless? I’m thinking glass would taste the best… Or are the biodegradable ones really biodegradable? We never use straws at home but are guilty of many drive-through or carry-out fountain drinks, and would love to keep a stash of straws in the car that won’t end up getting stuck in a turtle some day.
And speaking of carryout containers from home @mom60, one of the colleges I visited had resuable “to-go” containers and I was really impressed. I can’t remember how they kept track of it, but basically you couldn’t get a new container until you returned your old one. The school did the washing.
@doschicos It is nice as far as variety- it isn’t the actual food truck. They set up in the line. We seem to be a little heavy on barbecue and Mexican.
I think the metal straws with the silicone tops from REI would be the best. I got the all metal and I don’t love it.
http://nymag.com/strategist/article/best-reusable-straws.html
The article reviews a variety of alternatives to disposable plastic straws and recommends this one:
“The universal solution, however, is the Koffie straw, which is made from soft silicone and will remain room temperature even if a drink is piping hot. It’s thin enough to fit through the slit in a hot coffee cup, flexible enough to fold up into any bag and carry around, and dishwasher-safe (although it also comes with a pipe cleaner to scrub out the insides). It comes in two sizes (seven and ten inches), which can reach the top of just about any cup, but Koffie users have been known to cut them with scissors so that they’ll fit comfortably in wine glasses, too. (What’s more embarrassing: red-wine teeth stains or drinking wine with a straw?) Best of all, silicone is durable and lasts forever, but when the straw’s ready to toss, just burn it. The Koffie will turn into 100 percent biodegradable ash.”
Few posts back, I mentioned silicone being the best reusable straw material, and I got mildly laughed at. 
I think I’d literally try to get arrested for handing out plastic straws— if only so I can experience that epic prison convo where my machete-killer cellmate asks me what I’m in for, and I get all steely-eyed and tell him. (H/t J.G.)