squadron Posted July 28, 2018 #101 Share Posted July 28, 2018 Try sucking a thick shake through a paper straw. Milk shakes had a wider diameter straw in the old days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
time4u2go Posted July 28, 2018 #102 Share Posted July 28, 2018 I agree - what is the obsession with plastic straws?? Also didn't know that adults needed straws to the extend that it is traumatic that they are being replaced with paper ones. Buy one of the stainless steel ones if necessary. How do you clean those things? I would never feel like it's completely clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actuarian Posted July 28, 2018 #103 Share Posted July 28, 2018 There's also another side to the whole plastic straw banning problem: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2018/07/12/plastic-straw-bans-are-the-latest-policy-to-forget-the-disability-community/?utm_term=.66d6f5f21cce My wife is disabled and cannot drink liquids without a straw. As the article linked to above shows, it is not that unusual for older people to have that problem. She can drink cold drinks through paper straws but paper straws are not very useful for hot drinks. Fortunately, plastic straws are still available at supermarkets where we live and I know to carry some with us when we travel. There are many other plastic products that could disappear and nobody would miss them. For example, bottled water and soft drinks both actually taste better in a glass bottle than in a plastic bottle. I do not think anyone would miss plastic bottles of water and soda if they were replaced by glass. IMHO, if we need to reduce the use of plastics, we should get rid of the plastic bottles and boxes and leave the straws alone. For RCI's part, they could replace the plastic Coca Cola "souvenir cups" with ones made of glass or metal. Technically those cups may not be "single use" but I do not know anyone who really keeps them as souvenirs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted July 28, 2018 #104 Share Posted July 28, 2018 100+ posts and no one mentioned 'The straw that broke the camel's back' Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dswallow Posted July 28, 2018 #105 Share Posted July 28, 2018 If someone wants a straw with their drink, why are some of you so insistent they not be allowed to have one? Works both ways. If you don't want one, you certainly can get a drink without one. Personally I consider it partially a sanitary thing... I'd rather not put my mouth on the outside of glassware being used. Frozen drinks are very difficult to drink without a straw. I suppose you could use a spoon until it melts enough. Actually that just reminded me I did want to get larger diameter straws to bring with me. Those annoying bigger ice bits stop the free flow of frozen drinks when too small a diameter straw is used. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_G Posted July 28, 2018 #106 Share Posted July 28, 2018 How do you clean those things? I would never feel like it's completely clean.DW just bought some for the grand kids and they come with this. Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iamcruzin Posted July 28, 2018 #107 Share Posted July 28, 2018 No, we're just commenting because some of us believe it is a stupid knee-jerk idea by some liberal who works for RCI and wants to think this is going to save the planet. If that were true I could live with it. But it’s just a positive spin on cutting cost. When the economy tanked in 2008 the company that I worked for started a campaign in an effort to go green we would no longer offer gift boxes. They started this in September so customers would be prepared before the holiday season. The holiday season started and we sold gift boxes.This is the perfect example of capitalism being born from a ban wagon cause. I’m sure the plastic straw makers will be coming up with a special sip lid that will cost more and use more plastic. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melrosgirl Posted July 28, 2018 #108 Share Posted July 28, 2018 Disney’s animal kingdom has been serving paper straws for years. I can’t stand them and wouldn’t buy them. It definitely is a noticeable difference. (Harmony gave me plastic straws three weeks ago with every cocktail). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wine-O Posted July 29, 2018 #109 Share Posted July 29, 2018 If that were true I could live with it. But it’s just a positive spin on cutting cost. When the economy tanked in 2008 the company that I worked for started a campaign in an effort to go green we would no longer offer gift boxes. They started this in September so customers would be prepared before the holiday season. The holiday season started and we sold gift boxes.This is the perfect example of capitalism being born from a ban wagon cause. I’m sure the plastic straw makers will be coming up with a special sip lid that will cost more and use more plastic. According to this report, paper straws cost 3-4 cents more than plastic straws. http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2018/07/19/john-stossel-absurd-hysteria-around-plastic-straws.html Here's an interesting article. Check out the 4 minute video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
time4u2go Posted July 29, 2018 #110 Share Posted July 29, 2018 My wife is disabled and cannot drink liquids without a straw. As the article linked to above shows, it is not that unusual for older people to have that problem. She can drink cold drinks through paper straws but paper straws are not very useful for hot drinks. Fortunately, plastic straws are still available at supermarkets where we live and I know to carry some with us when we travel. There are many other plastic products that could disappear and nobody would miss them. For example, bottled water and soft drinks both actually taste better in a glass bottle than in a plastic bottle. I do not think anyone would miss plastic bottles of water and soda if they were replaced by glass. IMHO, if we need to reduce the use of plastics, we should get rid of the plastic bottles and boxes and leave the straws alone. For RCI's part, they could replace the plastic Coca Cola "souvenir cups" with ones made of glass or metal. Technically those cups may not be "single use" but I do not know anyone who really keeps them as souvenirs. I'm guessing they'd have to be metal so there wouldn't be any broken glass issues with drinks by the pool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ostrich710 Posted July 29, 2018 #111 Share Posted July 29, 2018 Our experience on Anthem (from April) was that plastic straws were served as a normal land-based restaurant in almost all venues. We only frequented one establishment (Boleros, where our favorite bartenders were!), where they discouraged the use of plastic straws and did not hand them out unless asked. This was not a problem for us, but it was something that we were not used to, and so noteworthy. I imagine that RCCL will become progressively tighter on discouraging plastic, but I also imagine that plastic straws will be served, and at least, available upon request for quite some time. Not to worry and enjoy your cruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RocketMan275 Posted July 29, 2018 #112 Share Posted July 29, 2018 If you're doing away with plastic straws, why not also do away with plastic water bottles? That would do far more to reduce the amount of disposable plastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted July 29, 2018 #113 Share Posted July 29, 2018 100+ posts and no one mentioned 'The straw that broke the camel's back' Are we there yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnightsFan Posted July 29, 2018 #114 Share Posted July 29, 2018 If someone wants a straw with their drink, why are some of you so insistent they not be allowed to have one? Works both ways. If you don't want one, you certainly can get a drink without one. Personally I consider it partially a sanitary thing... I'd rather not put my mouth on the outside of glassware being used. If the use of straws didn't have a broader impact you would be right. But it does have a larger impact beyond that one person. And the glass is as sanitary as the forks and knives. Do you drink coffee out of a straw? And for those who think trash doesn't end up in the ocean; go and walk along the side of any major American highway and you'll see the shoulder is full of trash. Plastic straws, burger wrappers, cigarette buds, bags, clothing, vehicle debris. All of that trash doesn't just sit there, if it's near a water way it'll likely get pushed into it over time and then flow into the ocean or seas from there. Go to a public beach in much of the US and you'll find straws and trash in the sand. It's not just about your straws and trash, it's about everybody's straws and trash. It adds up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscobeans Posted July 29, 2018 #115 Share Posted July 29, 2018 Most towns and cities have been asking people to "blue bag" plastic containers etc etc for at least 10 years! The blue bag program is part of garbage pickup. Also so is the recovery of "organic waste" - food scraps if you don;t compost at home. Separate green biodegradable bag. "Blue Bags", sound like a great idea to me. bosco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare BillOh Posted July 29, 2018 #116 Share Posted July 29, 2018 It's the issue of the moment. . I suspect this is part of Royal's motivation, I saw their logo on at least 4 different national news stories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wine-O Posted July 29, 2018 #117 Share Posted July 29, 2018 If the use of straws didn't have a broader impact you would be right. But it does have a larger impact beyond that one person. And the glass is as sanitary as the forks and knives. Do you drink coffee out of a straw? And for those who think trash doesn't end up in the ocean; go and walk along the side of any major American highway and you'll see the shoulder is full of trash. Plastic straws, burger wrappers, cigarette buds, bags, clothing, vehicle debris. All of that trash doesn't just sit there, if it's near a water way it'll likely get pushed into it over time and then flow into the ocean or seas from there. Go to a public beach in much of the US and you'll find straws and trash in the sand. It's not just about your straws and trash, it's about everybody's straws and trash. It adds up. That's all well and fine. I certainly don't condone trash and littering of the highways. Question: How many plastic straws on a cruise ship end up in the ocean? Answer: Probably NONE!!! As Billy Shakespeare would say, it's all "much ado about nothing." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whyrlygig Posted July 29, 2018 #118 Share Posted July 29, 2018 All one needs to do is google “sea turtle + straw”. There is no place for a plastic at sea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davebhoy Posted July 29, 2018 #119 Share Posted July 29, 2018 That's all well and fine. I certainly don't condone trash and littering of the highways. Question: How many plastic straws on a cruise ship end up in the ocean? Answer: Probably NONE!!! As Billy Shakespeare would say, it's all "much ado about nothing." You really think that on a cruise ship with thousands of passengers drinking several drinks a day, in the open air, that not a single straw is ever blown overboard ? I'd bet that a significant number end up in the sea. There's absolutely no need for these single use plastic straws, so even if it's a minimal improvement, why wouldn't they be banned? Sent from my SM-G955F using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMESCC Posted July 29, 2018 #120 Share Posted July 29, 2018 You really think that on a cruise ship with thousands of passengers drinking several drinks a day, in the open air, that not a single straw is ever blown overboard ? I'd bet that a significant number end up in the sea. There's absolutely no need for these single use plastic straws, so even if it's a minimal improvement, why wouldn't they be banned? Sent from my SM-G955F using Forums mobile app That is what these fools keep saying. They keep saying have you ever seen one go into the ocean? To that I say, well if I close my eyes I won't see anything bad therefore it's not happening. I mean come on, of course straws end up in the ocean. Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted July 29, 2018 #121 Share Posted July 29, 2018 What about all the straw makers who will lose their jobs? Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milwaukee Eight Posted July 29, 2018 #122 Share Posted July 29, 2018 Most of you are old enough to remember when paper straws were the ONLY straws. We survived. I agree Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
time4u2go Posted July 29, 2018 #123 Share Posted July 29, 2018 If you're doing away with plastic straws, why not also do away with plastic water bottles? That would do far more to reduce the amount of disposable plastic. Sound like a great idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wine-O Posted July 29, 2018 #124 Share Posted July 29, 2018 All one needs to do is google “sea turtle + straw”. There is no place for a plastic at sea. The dramatization of the left. Find a victim and capitalize on it. One turtle out of 100,000,000 and act like it's common place. I wouldn't put it past some wacko to plant that straw to make a statement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wine-O Posted July 29, 2018 #125 Share Posted July 29, 2018 What about all the straw makers who will lose their jobs? That doesn't matter -- it's just an unintended consequence. Who cares as long as we are saving the planet. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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