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> Also, would compostable straws be an option? (assuming they do not end up in the landfill, and only distributed on demand to reduce waste). There are no opti

> Also, would compostable straws be an option? (assuming they do not end up in the landfill, and only distributed on demand to reduce waste). There are no options that are suitable for disabled people. I'd recommend following Lawrence Carter-Long (he manages the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund) on Facebook; he's made a number of public posts about it lately, and the comments on his posts tend to be very good. Here's the text of one of his posts: > FACT: A soggy paper straw increases the risk of choking. Most paper and silicone alternatives are not flexible, eliminating arguably the most important feature used by people with mobility disabilities. Metal, glass and bamboo straws present obvious dangers for people who have difficulty controlling their bite, as well as those with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s. Some disabled folks use straws when drinking coffee or eating soup, yet most of the alternatives--including the leading biodegradable straw--are not suitable for drinks over 40°C/104°C. Furthermore, re-useable straws are not always hygienic or easy to clean in public places. And here's a comment he made on another of his posts: > 1. Glass straws can break. That's dangerous. For everyone. > 2. Metal straws don't always adapt to temperature changes well. And can burn people. > 3. At present, paper and biodegradable straws often break down faster than a lot of disabled folks can use 'em. A straw isn't much use when it is falling apart. > 4. Reuseable straws are useful only if and when you can wash them right after using and if you have a way to store them. They also have to be easy for folks to carry with them every time they leave the house. Not possible for everyone. > 5. What if you decide on the spur of the moment to go have a drink with friends after work but forgot your reusable straw that day? Doesn't leave a lot of room for spontaneity -- something non-disabled folks get to largely take for granted.

xyzzyz 8y ago
What does he say about biodegradable plastic straws? The company I work for enjoys signalling its ecological awareness, and so they offer disposable compostable plastic cups. They work for hot coffee just fine, so the material should be as good for straws.
atomical 8y ago
I saw an ad for a reusable straw that folded up and attached to your keychain on instagram. It was still too large for a keychain in my opinion though.
justinator 8y ago
> There are no options that are suitable for disabled people. Here's an article from a disabled person, who breaks down the (as they say, mostly-online debate) of disabled people and reusable straws. They then test a variety of options: https://themighty.com/2018/05/review-reusable-drinking-straws-disability/ https://themighty.com/2018/05/review-reusable-drinking-straw... I really am not understanding the problem. If the goal is to reduce single-use plastic and waste, allowing disabled people to use whatever the hell the want/need to do normal everyday tasks isn't incompatible. Just allow restaurants to have some straws for people who ask for them, and clearly have a right to use them (pass/amend a law if you have to). Done.
- hyperpape 8y ago
  In practice, whenever there is a special exemption for disabled people, it imposes costs on them. It's another obstacle to request accomodations, but also it incurs the risk of public shaming if someone decides that you don't deserve them: https://twitter.com/beth_vrabel/status/993691472766668801?lang=en https://twitter.com/beth_vrabel/status/993691472766668801?la.... As with web accessibility, where possible, the best solution is to make the solution that is given to all the rest of us the same solution that disabled people are given. Sometimes we can't do that (e.g. special handicapped spots near the extrance to a building are valuable), but that shouldn't be our standard approach.
  - justinator 8y ago
    Then I don't know what you want to do: are we just going to live in a world where plastic straws need to exist? In the long run, that doesn't work well for ANYONE.
    - hyperpape 8y ago
      Yeah, that sounds fine to me. This would be a reasonable objection if plastic straws were going to drastically change our impact on the environment. If we were a near zero-emission, zero-waste society, and plastic straws were the last thing holding us back from sustainability on a thousand-millions of years time frame, then maybe we should force the issue. But until then, making life harder for disabled people in order to make a tiny dent at the edges of the pollution our society creates is not worth it.

xyzzyz 8y ago

What does he say about biodegradable plastic straws? The company I work for enjoys signalling its ecological awareness, and so they offer disposable compostable plastic cups. They work for hot coffee just fine, so the material should be as good for straws.

atomical 8y ago

I saw an ad for a reusable straw that folded up and attached to your keychain on instagram. It was still too large for a keychain in my opinion though.

justinator 8y ago

> There are no options that are suitable for disabled people. Here's an article from a disabled person, who breaks down the (as they say, mostly-online debate) of disabled people and reusable straws. They then test a variety of options: https://themighty.com/2018/05/review-reusable-drinking-straws-disability/ https://themighty.com/2018/05/review-reusable-drinking-straw... I really am not understanding the problem. If the goal is to reduce single-use plastic and waste, allowing disabled people to use whatever the hell the want/need to do normal everyday tasks isn't incompatible. Just allow restaurants to have some straws for people who ask for them, and clearly have a right to use them (pass/amend a law if you have to). Done.

hyperpape 8y ago
In practice, whenever there is a special exemption for disabled people, it imposes costs on them. It's another obstacle to request accomodations, but also it incurs the risk of public shaming if someone decides that you don't deserve them: https://twitter.com/beth_vrabel/status/993691472766668801?lang=en https://twitter.com/beth_vrabel/status/993691472766668801?la.... As with web accessibility, where possible, the best solution is to make the solution that is given to all the rest of us the same solution that disabled people are given. Sometimes we can't do that (e.g. special handicapped spots near the extrance to a building are valuable), but that shouldn't be our standard approach.
- justinator 8y ago
  Then I don't know what you want to do: are we just going to live in a world where plastic straws need to exist? In the long run, that doesn't work well for ANYONE.
  - hyperpape 8y ago
    Yeah, that sounds fine to me. This would be a reasonable objection if plastic straws were going to drastically change our impact on the environment. If we were a near zero-emission, zero-waste society, and plastic straws were the last thing holding us back from sustainability on a thousand-millions of years time frame, then maybe we should force the issue. But until then, making life harder for disabled people in order to make a tiny dent at the edges of the pollution our society creates is not worth it.