Straws are terrible for the environment. British people use 8.5 billion straws a year, while Americans are getting through 500 million per day. The problem with plastic straws is that while they’re technically recyclable, they’re so small and light that they’re incredibly difficult to recycle, so it usually doesn’t happen. They end up clogging landfills or find their way into the oceans via littering or through plugholes and drains.
They’re not biodegradable, so if they don’t find their way into marine life, they break down into microplastics which are incredibly dangerous to and are easily ingested by sea creatures. While there are many different alternatives to the plastic straw, such as reusable straws made of bamboo or metal, the Santa Fe based team at FinalStraw have invented the world’s first collapsible, reusable straw that is convenient enough that it can act as a keychain.
Attaching FinalStraw to your keychain will prevent you from forgetting it while you’re on the go.
The FinalStraw consists of a foldable stainless steel straw, a tiny squeegee to keep the straw clean and a recycled plastic case that’s not bigger than a smartphone. To help reduce plastic straw use, every FinalStraw also includes five information cards for you to leave with your bill at restaurants that still serve plastic straws.
According to the campaign, “we hope to make the public more aware of the devastating effects of plastic pollution and use that awareness to pressure restaurants to stop serving straws.”
The team is looking to team up with more organizations in order to give back to the community and to continue making more sleek, convenient reusable to-go ware. FinalStraw costs $20 on Kickstarter and comes with a lifetime warranty. The estimated delivery is November 2018.