Real Science Shows Plastic Straws Outperform Paper in Key Environmental Measures

Real Science Shows Plastic Straws Outperform Paper in Key Environmental Measures

If drinking my margarita through a rapidly degrading straw is forced upon me as an act of eco-penance, I would like at least a little evidence that Earth benefits. However, there appears to be none.

The replacement of plastic straws with those made of paper was supposed to save the planet; instead, it appears to be another case of greenwashing that leaves consumers with a soggy substitute and questionable environmental benefits.

According to the New York Post, a South Korean government analysis found conventional plastic straws had the lowest environmental footprint in 10 of 16 categories examined, including climate impact, when the entire product life cycle was considered.

The findings suck the air out of some long-winded environmental protests, which

[claimed for a decade]that plastic straws were on par with toxic fumes or forest fires — and fought to make iced lattes nearly impossible to drink through a soggy, wilted tube of cardboard.The research

[comes]from South Korea’s Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, which analyzed four types of straws — paper, plastic, biodegradable plastic, and su...