The first time I encountered one of these paper abominations, the textural hostility that invaded my tastebuds almost made me spit out my drink and wash my mouth with dish soap. I quickly looked around at my friends, who were also drinking from these despicable straws, hoping to find some companionship in this feeling, only to see them sipping away at their drinks without a care in the world. That was when I realized I might be alone in this hateful endeavor, one I have continued on until today and will continue with for the rest of my life.
Paper straws were first introduced in the 1960s, though they grew massively in popularity during the VSCO phase of 2019, as more young girls showed increasing concern for marine animals’ health. The movement to “save the turtles” started in this phase, with scrunchie-clad girls yelling out the phrase every time one of their peers pulled out a plastic straw to drink their morning coffee. Though this trend may have seemed rather obnoxious, it did create more awareness of marine health in general, with the bleaching of coral reefs becoming more well-known, and the mountains of trash heaped on beaches starting to be cleaned out. The one and only problem the VSCO phase created, aside from the Hydroflask-dropping epidemic in schools across America, was the popularization of paper straws. Once the VSCO community discovered their existence, all reason was thrown out the window, and the straws soared to great popularity. Many stores across America started instituting these straws in their locations, hoping to present a more eco-friendly front to their company. I have come into contact with these stores in my daily life very often in recent years, requiring me to travel to an adjoining store to get a plastic straw instead of stomach the monstrosity of a paper straw.
But are paper straws really that bad? In short, yes. This is for a number of reasons, mainly the texture and taste. These straws disintegrate, which is what all paper does when it comes into contact with water. This means that as you drink your nice, refreshing pink lemonade on a hot summer day, small paper particles will disperse into your drink, leading to a vile taste when you take a sip. In addition, the texture in your mouth when taking a sip from this straw will lead you to not want the drink you bought in the first place. The paper has a somewhat scratchy texture, and you can feel it disintegrate in your mouth while you drink. Because of this, I have lost my appetite many times before drinking even half of my beverage and had to throw away what remained.
The VSCO community was right about the incredibly large amount of plastic in the world, though, and there are alternatives to plastic straws. Many people use metal straws, which are a very good substitute for plastic. They are reusable, unlike plastic or paper straws, and can be cleaned between each use. They don’t have any residual taste, unlike the disgusting aftertaste paper straws leave, and because they are reusable, many plastic straws are saved from use, which can help, even the smallest bit, in saving the turtles and our planet.