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90% of “eco-friendly” paper straws contain traces of toxic forever chemicals

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Re: 90% of “eco-friendly” paper straws contain traces of toxic forever chemicals

#81

Post by wahnfrieden »

timeon wrote: post #54
wahnfrieden wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Consumers demand it, and we chose a society that mostly freely provides goods for consumer demands. So is your issue with the free market, or is it toothless consumer elitism (I don't mean this reply to be a defense of the market either. I'm asking you to evaluate what is core to your criticism)

> Consumers demand it, and we chose a society that mostly freely provides goods for consumer demands. Except for Ad industry and marketing.

Only because they are outbid. Individual consumers won't pay as much as advertisers will to keep ad space empty.

Re: 90% of “eco-friendly” paper straws contain traces of toxic forever chemicals

#82

Post by kragen »

wouldbecouldbe wrote: post #45

The paper coffee cups are around 100%. Paper is just not very good at resisting water.

you can use paraffin wax, beeswax, carnauba wax, or linseed oil (ideally without heavy-metal catalysts)

there are probably a lot of other alternatives that i'm not thinking of

fluorocarbons work better, are less toxic, and consume less resources because you can use less of them, but they aren't essential

Re: 90% of “eco-friendly” paper straws contain traces of toxic forever chemicals

#83

Post by willis936 »

jayd16 wrote: post #65

Why are aluminum cans cheap and disposable but we can't have cheap aluminum straws?

This begs the question: why do we use straws at all? I'd be happier with a disposable sippable lid. Obviously a paradigm where we are rewarded for using our own containers would be best, but I am constraining to the baby steps that everyone is fond of.

Re: 90% of “eco-friendly” paper straws contain traces of toxic forever chemicals

#84

Post by ben_w »

psychphysic wrote: post #30

All this stuff sold to us as eco alternatives are horrendous. They are harmful imo as they detract from the ideal and usually attainable solution of reducing consumption.

Some of it is, but not all.

> usually attainable solution of reducing consumption.

Hell no.

I'm a real life example of this "unicorn" — someone so utterly uninterested in acquiring material things that I spent an average of €1131 per month on everything combined in the last six months. Rent, travel, food, new laptop… and I'm not even trying to be frugal, this is with a lot of eating out and organic groceries.

If everyone did what I did, not only would we still have wasteful straws (why were they in my mango lassis?), but also the economy would collapse immediately.

If everyone cuts back as far as I can when I last tried seriously, the economy breaks much harder.

Re: 90% of “eco-friendly” paper straws contain traces of toxic forever chemicals

#87

Post by wouldbecouldbe »

bsuvc wrote: post #67
wouldbecouldbe wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Get some kids.

Got one and sippy cup was the thing to use, but yeah straws were also helpful for a while after graduating from the sippy cup.

anywhere you go, friends, bars, they will get their drinks with straws. You can take it away, but it's not set up for it.

Re: 90% of “eco-friendly” paper straws contain traces of toxic forever chemicals

#88

Post by bsuvc »

fortran77 wrote: post #68
bsuvc wrote: post #26

I'm sure someone probably feels strongly about this, but I will ask anyway: Do we as a society even need straws? I never use a straw at home. The only time I would consider wanting one would be for a milkshake maybe, due to its thickness making it hard to sip otherwise. I am not anti-straw, just think it is sort of a weird thing for our society to use when I stop to think about it.

You'd feel differently if you had no arms.

Yes. Yes I would.

It is clear there are some use cases where straw usage is a necessity.

I do wonder if that should just be something people use when they need it.

The analogy would be, some people use mobility scooters at the grocery store, but not everyone uses one, only the people who choose to them (presumably because they need it, but the point stands either way, need or want)

Re: 90% of “eco-friendly” paper straws contain traces of toxic forever chemicals

#89

Post by Closi »

ben_w wrote: post #84
psychphysic wrote: post #30

All this stuff sold to us as eco alternatives are horrendous. They are harmful imo as they detract from the ideal and usually attainable solution of reducing consumption.

Some of it is, but not all. > usually attainable solution of reducing consumption. Hell no. I'm a real life example of this "unicorn" — someone so utterly uninterested in acquiring material things that I spent an average of €1131 per month on everything combined in the last six months. Rent, travel, food, new laptop… and I'm not even trying to be frugal, this is with a lot of eating out and organic groceries. If ever…

Edit: Misread and assumed 1100 euros / 6 months. Have removed comment

Re: 90% of “eco-friendly” paper straws contain traces of toxic forever chemicals

#90

Post by sirmike_ »

Any place which serves paper straws (in my area) gets an automatic no-go. Not interested in a business virtue signaling to superficial ecology preservation. It is akin to anti-gunners betting all in on stopping made up categories of firearms (assault weapons) which make up a tiny portion of murders. Whereas if they were serious they would focus on restrictions of hand-guns. The two stats of crime committed with both are NOT the same levels.
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