Do you know what the ballet, jeans, and eyeglasses have in common? They were all invented in Italy. Now, another Italian symbol is making headlines as a possible solution to a huge environmental problem. In a time when the world searches for ways to reduce plastic waste, pasta straws might be one of the answers.
Image credits: GranFabio
Recently, reddit user u/GranFabio posted a picture, showing the initiative some bars in Italy have been taking. Generating nearly 77k upvotes, the message has been spreading like crazy. However, it’s clear that these establishments have to work on replacing the plastic cups as well if they really want to embrace the eco-friendly way of life.
Image credits: stroodles
Interestingly, there already is a company that sells pasta straws. Stroodles. They say their straws last for up to an hour, are tasteless, and can be left on the compost heap when people are finished with them. “Stroodles is not just a straw company and there is a much bigger picture, as I feel I can leave a long-term impact by creating a ripple effect by triggering many small changes all across the world, especially among people that are less conscious of sustainability and their respective actions and behaviors,” company founder Maxim Gelmann told Bored Panda.
Image credits: stroodles
Image credits: stroodles
“Thus, Stroodles is rather a movement and an educational company and a gateway to more sustainable behaviors and thinking and the straw is just our first channel (of communication) in our mission to fight plastic waste,” Gelmann explained. “We thereby want to attract and reach the less (environmentally) conscious people and show them, how easy it is to make sustainable changes and have them enter their life.”
“The approach is to do this in a fun and non-preachy, non-finger-pointing manner. I rather aim for people to engage with a Stroodle and then themselves start asking themselves the right questions, like ‘Why is there a pasta straw in my drink?’ Thus, little realizations like that and them coming to their own conclusions, rather than being sold/preached. [It’s] much more powerful in creating behavioral and mindsets change. And … maybe next time one is offered a plastic bag, they will behave differently.”
Image credits: stroodles
Image credits: stroodles
Stoodles last 1 hour in cold drinks, and the colder the drink, the longer one can use them. That means, the drink can be refilled multiple times and Stroodles can be reused across multiple drinks. “We dare you on how long you can Stroodle. As for hot drinks, it is not recommended in general to drink hot drinks through a straw, due to risk of burning oneself, but then again, when used as a stirrer, ie. for coffee and for a few seconds, that’s totally fine. And, in any case, I had kids drink hot chocolate through Stroodles, and they loved it when they got bendy afterward.”
Image credits: stroodles
Here’s what people said about this idea
Maybe I'm misguided, but are you not gonna end up with a starchy tasting drink as the pasta starts to hydrate and go gooey if you take too long drinking???
Great, let's not use plastic but waste food instead... How about just drinking from the glass and just not use a straw?
some people.... like me, have extremely sensitive teeth and need a straw to drink anything that is more than slightly chilled. But I do agree that we should not be wasting food and/or plastic. I now carry a small pack of reuseable straw with me so that I don't have to waste. but please try and be more conscious of the fact that some people need straws.
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I've also read the huge and very particular problem with straws is that they jam recycling machinery so no one will take straws as recyclable...they will always go straight into the trash. And we know if it goes in the trash it will likely end up in the ocean. If it goes in the ocean it chokes and kills sea life. So, I think the problem of plastic drinking straws is a pretty big one.
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Just stop using straws altogether and drink like a grown up. It's still wasteful.
I find I drink more water when I have a straw. But I have reusable metal ones, which I absolutely love, so I’m drinking like a responsible straw-using grown a*s woman.
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Something else for people with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance to worry about.
The tissue itself is used since the end of the middle age in Europe, including Italy. The jeans as we mean nowadays (pants/trousers) are American indeed.
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Correct me if I am wrong, but won't that change the taste of the drunk as well? Subway in Canada uses paper straws and they work pretty good. Don't last very long but that is okay. You can finish one drink with it and that is all is necessary.
Yes, especially with alcohol and hot drinks. Instead of straws, we should actually be focusing on reducing wastes from so many other areas. Im appalled at how much junk mail & advertising i get each day in the mail. Or how often amazon sends out a tiny purchase in a huge plastic bag. Straws are not the issue & it was based off of a young child's school report...not actual science based reports.
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A very popular Bajan Rum. One of Barbados biggest exports.
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Baby steps for a better Earth! Global Warming & the selfishness of the human race will lead to a possible Mad Max future.
I can't help myself - for those of you who are like "just don't use straws altogether" - while it definitely is an option for many people, for some (disabled people mainly) it can be life-threatening (literally). And no - no other option is as good as the single used plastic ones. Please listen to Jessica, who knows this better than anyone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IBH0pcKzlY (plus a follow up video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XGIxUXDWqw).
Is it more eco-friendly if metal straw or bamboo straw since metal can be melted again while bamboo decomposed and are easily grown. I know pasta still goes through lots of things before it is made right? And lastly if you we're drinking in any liquid in a cup (except sealed or with fancy foamed/creamed drinks) you can instead drink it straight without straw to lessen the use of them.
I'm so happy I never drank using straws. Now I won't need to change any habits to help save the planet. I never used them because I never liked them (specially with sparkling drinks, how can you all drink like that? I feel it's only gas coming in!) and there were so many times where I said "no straw please" because I hated having to take out and put it on the table. Even so, they often forgot and I would wet the table. Now hopefully they won't even give them by default, yey for me! (Btw, living in Asia so no ban yet here)
I live in Italy, and these seem to be almost nonexistent, I've spoken with Italians, just about all that I've spoken with think it's rediculous and or disgusting. Most seemed to be under the impression this was a north American thing. However I did go to my local Italian to try to see if I could find this type of pasta, I recorded a video and posted my experience on youtube, they're not that bad, but they do slightly change the flavor and texture.
so this is awesome and i love italy even more now even though i've never been to it
Well that would be great,if my country may attempt to create and use it.
Well , that would be great if my country may attempt creating to use it.
looks cute, but the energy consumed to make these vs paper or plastic is about the same. And yes, it would taste awful after the first sip.
This is marketing not environmental stewardship . Somebody figured out how to sell pasta at 10× the market rate
Also those restaurants and shops save cost on straws and plastic bags. I don't think it has anything to do with environment etc. They just make use the excuse.
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Wait until you are disabled, try to say it again.
Load More Replies... Thing is, these will soften in the same way and at the same rate as paper straws, with the added bonus of being dangerous to any disabled person who gets jaw clenching. It combines the sogginess of the paper and danger of the metal, still being a hazard for the disabled.
Unless you are a toddler or in recovery from tonsils removal surgery, there is absolutely no need for you to use a straw at all, drink from the glass/cup, there is a way to reduce waste and not worry about silly alternatives.
The whole straw thing is a f*****g sham and is really, really dumb. Look into it for yourself. It's something that companies are doing to trick you into thinking they're environmentally conscious while they destroy everything out of the other sides of their faces. Plus, disabled people need them for f**k's sake. Stop this f*****g nonsense already.
Agreed. This world needs people to give a damn!
Load More Replies... Maybe I'm misguided, but are you not gonna end up with a starchy tasting drink as the pasta starts to hydrate and go gooey if you take too long drinking???
Great, let's not use plastic but waste food instead... How about just drinking from the glass and just not use a straw?
some people.... like me, have extremely sensitive teeth and need a straw to drink anything that is more than slightly chilled. But I do agree that we should not be wasting food and/or plastic. I now carry a small pack of reuseable straw with me so that I don't have to waste. but please try and be more conscious of the fact that some people need straws.
Load More Replies... I've also read the huge and very particular problem with straws is that they jam recycling machinery so no one will take straws as recyclable...they will always go straight into the trash. And we know if it goes in the trash it will likely end up in the ocean. If it goes in the ocean it chokes and kills sea life. So, I think the problem of plastic drinking straws is a pretty big one.
Load More Replies... Just stop using straws altogether and drink like a grown up. It's still wasteful.
I find I drink more water when I have a straw. But I have reusable metal ones, which I absolutely love, so I’m drinking like a responsible straw-using grown a*s woman.
Load More Replies... Something else for people with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance to worry about.
The tissue itself is used since the end of the middle age in Europe, including Italy. The jeans as we mean nowadays (pants/trousers) are American indeed.
Load More Replies... Correct me if I am wrong, but won't that change the taste of the drunk as well? Subway in Canada uses paper straws and they work pretty good. Don't last very long but that is okay. You can finish one drink with it and that is all is necessary.
Yes, especially with alcohol and hot drinks. Instead of straws, we should actually be focusing on reducing wastes from so many other areas. Im appalled at how much junk mail & advertising i get each day in the mail. Or how often amazon sends out a tiny purchase in a huge plastic bag. Straws are not the issue & it was based off of a young child's school report...not actual science based reports.
Load More Replies... A very popular Bajan Rum. One of Barbados biggest exports.
Load More Replies... Baby steps for a better Earth! Global Warming & the selfishness of the human race will lead to a possible Mad Max future.
I can't help myself - for those of you who are like "just don't use straws altogether" - while it definitely is an option for many people, for some (disabled people mainly) it can be life-threatening (literally). And no - no other option is as good as the single used plastic ones. Please listen to Jessica, who knows this better than anyone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IBH0pcKzlY (plus a follow up video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XGIxUXDWqw).
Is it more eco-friendly if metal straw or bamboo straw since metal can be melted again while bamboo decomposed and are easily grown. I know pasta still goes through lots of things before it is made right? And lastly if you we're drinking in any liquid in a cup (except sealed or with fancy foamed/creamed drinks) you can instead drink it straight without straw to lessen the use of them.
I'm so happy I never drank using straws. Now I won't need to change any habits to help save the planet. I never used them because I never liked them (specially with sparkling drinks, how can you all drink like that? I feel it's only gas coming in!) and there were so many times where I said "no straw please" because I hated having to take out and put it on the table. Even so, they often forgot and I would wet the table. Now hopefully they won't even give them by default, yey for me! (Btw, living in Asia so no ban yet here)
I live in Italy, and these seem to be almost nonexistent, I've spoken with Italians, just about all that I've spoken with think it's rediculous and or disgusting. Most seemed to be under the impression this was a north American thing. However I did go to my local Italian to try to see if I could find this type of pasta, I recorded a video and posted my experience on youtube, they're not that bad, but they do slightly change the flavor and texture.
so this is awesome and i love italy even more now even though i've never been to it
Well that would be great,if my country may attempt to create and use it.
Well , that would be great if my country may attempt creating to use it.
looks cute, but the energy consumed to make these vs paper or plastic is about the same. And yes, it would taste awful after the first sip.
This is marketing not environmental stewardship . Somebody figured out how to sell pasta at 10× the market rate
Also those restaurants and shops save cost on straws and plastic bags. I don't think it has anything to do with environment etc. They just make use the excuse.
Load More Replies... Wait until you are disabled, try to say it again.
Load More Replies... Thing is, these will soften in the same way and at the same rate as paper straws, with the added bonus of being dangerous to any disabled person who gets jaw clenching. It combines the sogginess of the paper and danger of the metal, still being a hazard for the disabled.
Unless you are a toddler or in recovery from tonsils removal surgery, there is absolutely no need for you to use a straw at all, drink from the glass/cup, there is a way to reduce waste and not worry about silly alternatives.
The whole straw thing is a f*****g sham and is really, really dumb. Look into it for yourself. It's something that companies are doing to trick you into thinking they're environmentally conscious while they destroy everything out of the other sides of their faces. Plus, disabled people need them for f**k's sake. Stop this f*****g nonsense already.
Agreed. This world needs people to give a damn!
Load More Replies... 
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