When It Comes to Paper vs. Plastic, the Straw-gle is Real

I know there are going to be people who hate me for saying this, but I’m not in love with this new movement to replace plastic straws with paper ones.

I met my parents outside of Boston last night for my mom’s birthday dinner. The restaurant is one of the growing list of establishments that have made the switch from plastic to paper straws.

It’s not the first time I came across these paper straws. We were also served beverages with paper straws at our favorite Chinese restaurant on Martha’s Vineyard a couple of months ago.

While I appreciate all efforts to keep our planet as clean and as green as possible, I hate these new paper straws. Not only do they make the beverages taste different, the texture makes the hair on my arms raise up. I have an aversion to it, similar to when a Hoodsie cup is served with one of those weird wooden spoons, or one of those popsicle sticks that doctors use to check your throat.

I’m also not a fan of drinking beverages out at a restaurant without straws. My mind is always thinking about who the last person was to put their mouth on the glass from which I am drinking. It’s stupid, I know. Really, when you think about it, the rim of the glass probably isn’t any more or less dirty than the inside of the glass (where your beverage is sitting).

I get it, but I just don’t like it.

I was talking about this on the air this morning, and someone called up and suggested I buy a metal straw. She said it takes just a little getting used to, but isn’t a bad option as a replacement for the voodoo plastic straws.

I’m really hoping that this paper straw craze doesn’t catch on. I’m already thinking that I’ll need to start buying up and hoarding plastic straws just in case.