Biodegradable Straws

[BeachTunes]

Hello! 

 

3 weeks from tomorrow our much anticipated journey to French Polynesia will begin! 4 weeks from today we will have enjoyed our first night aboard the Paul Gauguin! 🙂

 

A question about straws of all things! LOL! In recent years many restaurants, bars, corporations and even municipalities have eliminated use of plastic straws due to their negative impact on the environment - especially on marine life. Given that the PG website highlights its partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society, I imagine they strive to do as much as possible on board to reduce the ship's carbon footprint. 

 

I'm curious to know if the PG uses biodegradable straws on board and on its private beaches? If not, I will bring some biodegradable straws with us to use in our coconuts on Motu Mahana. 🍹🌴☀️

 

Thanks everyone! Happy travels!

[minabruuke]

I was very excited (at first) that they had biodegradable straws on PG when we travelled in September but they were truly awful.  I have no idea what the exact composition of these straws was but it was some form of a plant based plastic.  I would say that >75% of the straws we received had holes or cracks in them that made it impossible to suck up a frozen/blended drink (I tried not to use a straw with my other beverages).  My guess is that the production of these straws is probably not very environmentally friendly so if >75% of them are not usable are they really better than a plastic straw that could be recycled?  I hope that Paul Gauguin continues to offer biodegradable straws but I also hope they choose a different brand/type to hopefully reduce the waste....maybe they already have??

[BeachTunes]

10 hours ago, minabruuke said:

I was very excited (at first) that they had biodegradable straws on PG when we travelled in September but they were truly awful.  I have no idea what the exact composition of these straws was but it was some form of a plant based plastic.  I would say that >75% of the straws we received had holes or cracks in them that made it impossible to suck up a frozen/blended drink (I tried not to use a straw with my other beverages).  My guess is that the production of these straws is probably not very environmentally friendly so if >75% of them are not usable are they really better than a plastic straw that could be recycled?  I hope that Paul Gauguin continues to offer biodegradable straws but I also hope they choose a different brand/type to hopefully reduce the waste....maybe they already have??

 

Thank you very much for the update!

 

It sounds like they might be the kind made out of cornstarch. I worked for a beverage company that used biodegradable cups made out of cornstarch for use at outdoor festivals and they could be fickle. They are designed to break down/compost fairly quickly and would sometimes melt when exposed to the sun for too long. That might be what was happening to the straws on the ship. Our solution was to keep the cups stored in their boxes and only have as many out on the bar as needed. That was 15 years ago though, so it's possible there may be better options today. 

 

I appreciate that Paul Gauguin is making an effort! 🙂 

Edited November 25, 2018 by BeachTunes

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I appreciate too that they are making the effort, and disagree that these straws could be worse than plastic straws that "could be recycled".  How could they be?  Very unlikely, they are too small and get mixed with other items--that's the whole point.  Let's hope you're right Beach Tunes, that they need to be handed carefully, especially in a hot climate.  In any case I'm assuming this technology will improve rapidly, and that many small bits of plastic can be eliminated.

[airnsea]

We just got off the ship 12/08/18 and I am happy to confirm that all straws used on PG are biodegradable. Very impressed with their quality as well as the entire cruise.

[cindivan]

My son bought us reusable metal straws. Not for everyone because you have to keep up with them and wash them, but might be a reasonable option for the straws that always fall apart. 

[ErwinSchrodinger]

I had not seen this great idea. Just got back from FP on Windstar. The IC hotel serves their drinks with pasta (1 large diameter macaroni) for straws. And they do not get soggy.

[SWFLAOK]

We're staying at the IC Tahiti for 2 nights ,  have a day at the beach at IC Moorea, and have 3 nights at the IC Fiji at the end of our September cruise. I'm very interested to try the pasta straw. Here in SW Florida, we have the cardboard straws that are disgusting. I toss them away as soon as i see them in my drink since I'd rather do without a straw than taste soggy cardboard. The reusable metal straw does not sound very tasty, and I wonder if it would be flagged by TSA as a suspicious item.

[MrRandal]

 

On 12/18/2018 at 11:31 AM, cindivan said:

My son bought us reusable metal straws. Not for everyone because you have to keep up with them and wash them, but might be a reasonable option for the straws that always fall apart. 

 

Be careful with the metal straws, a woman in England was killed when she tripped holding a glass with a metal straw in it. The straw impaled her in the eye when she fell. 

[SWFLAOK]

My last chance at a straw is the pasta straw. I'm not thinking that something as thick as dried pasta is something I want to drink through, but I'll give it a try. But, I'm thinking that I would much rather do without a straw. I know that's my experience so far with the cardboard straws that we now have in SW Florida. As tourists, do any of us really need a straw?  I'm sure there are people who have disabilities that need a straw to drink, and the small amount of plastic straws they might need should not be a burden on the environment.