3 Ways Switching to Stainless Steel Straws are Better for Your Body, Wallet, and the Environment
Many people have learned the advantages of swapping their plastic drinking vessels for glass or stainless steel. But what about those plastic straws that always seem to find a way into your cup? Keep reading if you want to learn why switching to a stainless steel straw is more sustainable for your body, wallet, and environment!
1. Plastic straws contain potentially harmful chemicals.
Chances are if it's not good for the environment, it's certainly not good for humans. Many plastics, including plastic straws, are derived from a chemical compound called polypropylene. While polypropylene is known to be one of the safest plastics for medical use and food contact material, plastic in everyday life is relatively new compared to the age of our planet.
In a 2019 study on pubs.acs.org, researchers found that of the consumer plastics investigated, 74% contained compounds that resulted in at least one reaction, including a rise in estrogen levels, free-radicals, and toxic cells in the body. More specifically, with its varying uses and manufacturing processes, results in the study of polypropylene were wide-ranging.
Due to the varying makeup of plastic items, the potential impact of polypropylene on the human body is challenging to study yet crucial to our health. Additionally, scientists found that plastics used in their laboratory, such as test tubes, were leaching into testing liquids–causing a change in the makeup of the fluid.
Have you ever taken a sip through a plastic straw and gotten that 'plastic' taste? Even though polypropylene is said to have a high melting point and approval by the FDA, conflicting research suggests that humans should air on the side of caution.
Why not enjoy your beverage in all of its glory? Unlike plastic straws, you can rest assured that stainless steel straws are a non-toxic, temperature-safe option.
2. Stainless steel straws save you money.
The conventional plastic straw is sold in a multi-pack at most grocery stores for a suspiciously low price. However, because plastic straws are designed for single use only, this repeated purchase can add up quickly over time. For the price of one stainless steel straw known for an incredible shelf-life, you would have already spent the same amount of money on a few packs of plastic straws. With your savings after just one year–you could treat yourself to another sustainable swap!
You might be wondering how to care for your stainless steel straw. Our Stainless Steel Straw Set https://beesessentialproducts.com/products/3-pcs-stainless-steel-straw-set-w-bag comes with a straw brush–so all you have to do is scrub with some non-toxic soap and water–and you're ready to use it again!
3. Landfills and oceans are already overfilled with plastic straws.
The Ocean Conservancy is an organization that cleans our earth's beaches with the help of volunteers around the world. According to their website single-use plastic straws are among the top ten most common items found during coastal cleanups.
Moreover, garbage bins across the world are filling up with unnecessary single-use plastic items. Exactly how many plastic straws make the journey to landfills? It's hard to quantify an exact number, but to get an idea, Milo Cress, an environmental activist, reported that Americans use 500 million plastic straws per day.
Sea creatures consume a large number of plastics floating in the open waters, which can cause a myriad of health issues for the animals, including internal and external juries due to the sharp nature of plastic straws, drowning, and the feeling of fullness leading to death, to name a few. The cycle continues through the food chain; as humans consume the fish with full bellies of plastic–we, in turn, are ingesting plastic.
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