Protect Our Planet With Stainless Steel Straws

"What are you giving up for Lent?"

That's a common question in these forty days before Easter. And when I ask, nine times out of ten, the answer is chocolate, beer, or social media.

But what if we look at Lent as an opportunity not to just temporarily give up a bad habit but to start a good habit - a habit that makes a difference to people, to the world, to God.

This year for Lent, my goal is to protect our planet. I'm looking for ways to lessen my impact on our mother earth and bring me joy at the same time.

Here is the story of my progress. 

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I own a set of eight straws but as always, some are currently in use.

By now, you've probably heard the word on plastic drinking straws - they are outta here. One-use plastic utensils are clogging our oceans and cluttering up our beaches, and we can surely do better.

On July 1, 2018, my home city of Seattle was the first major U.S. city to enforce a full ban on plastic straws. Around these parts, stainless steel straws became an emblem of educated consumerism, and many of us began to carry slim drawstring pouches with our drinking tools inside. 

But Seattle is not the only place where plastic products have been banned. All around our country and our world, the dominoes of single-use plastics are falling at a fast and furious rate.  

Plastic shopping bags.

Single-use utensils - forks, spoons, knives, straws, stirrers, cocktail picks

Styrofoam food containers. 

Plastic micro-beads in personal care products. 

Non-recyclable plastic coffee pods

All have been prohibited at some place around the world and more bans are surely coming soon. 

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Not only do these bans help protect our planet from plastic pollution,  but they are forcing us to come up with alternatives that are actually far better products. Have you ever sipped an icy cold drink through a stainless steel straw? Steel conducts cold far better than plastic, so every inch of the straw is chilled. On warm days, condensation forms on the outside of the straw, which exponentially increases the icy cool sensation.

The overall effect is pure heaven.

So if you have not already jumped on the stainless steel straw bandwagon, do yourself and the planet a favor and make the leap. Here's the set that I bought and I recommend them one hundred percent.

Kichwit Extra Long Reusable Extra Wide Stainless Steel Straws, Set of 8

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Read on about my efforts to help protect our planet

Reusable Shopping Bags

Biodegradable Toothbrushes

Eliminating Plastic Food Packaging

Bar Soap
Glass Food Storage
Stainless Steel Straws
Supporting Innovation