Starbucks straw-free solution was a plastic lid that uses more plastic than the straw.
Family made major changes, but it feels increasingly pointless, and increasingly like spiting ourselves for no reason. Every shop brings home more plastic, used in ever more profligate ways, and mostly impossible to avoid. What was the point changing?
This may be true, but it was still a worthwhile initiative. The new lids can be recycled, whereas the straws couldn't[0], and their new policy has drawn a considerable amount of attention to the issue of single use plastics.
0: https://mic.com/articles/190171/starbucks-will-ban-plastic-s...
I did it, and it is really worth the effort.
What I changed:
- buy liquids in glass only -> healthier and reduced container garbage to 2/5
- use soda stream for mineral water
- buy fresh food -> healthier and reduces plastics packing
- buy used devices (where it makes sense) -> cars, phones, pc's etc. -> much cheaper, reduces waste -> don't be beta tester for newest products
- use rechargable batteries with smart recharger (to benefit the life cycle)
- avoid unfixable devices in general
- use grandma's household remedy, e.g. baking powder and vinegar instead of chemicals (packed in big one-way plastic bottles) to clean your house drains
There are many more tips in the Internet. For instance:
7 Ways to Support the Environment in 2018
https://www.care2.com/greenliving/7-ways-to-support-the-envi...
Further recommendations are appreciated.
A lot of people like to say they're worried about the environment, but very few change their life in significant ways to help it.