What to do with Plastic Straws instead of Throwing them Away

We've all heard that we need to stop using plastic straws. They are a big part of our environmental waste. Maybe you've picked up a few reusable straws that you bring with when you go to restaurants and cafes. Many cafes have even began switching to cups that don't require straws. But still, chances are, you've been in a situation where a barista put a plastic straw in your iced coffee before you had a chance to pull out your stainless steel straw. This happens fairly often. I've noticed that there is a big focus on not using plastic straws, but, as long as there are still plastic straws on the market, we should also be talking about what to do if you get stuck with one. There has to be better options than throwing it away. So I've compiled a few ideas, and I encourage you to add some ideas to the comments if you have any!

Reuse them

This one isn't the best option. Plastic straws are meant to disposable, and should probably not be reused more than once. But maybe, after you finish your drink, instead of throwing the straw away, rinse it out and use it just one more time. One of the biggest issues with plastic straws is that they are usually only used for about five minutes before making their way to the trash, and eventually to a landfill. So getting one more use out of them at least delays their fate and lengthens their lifespan. It's not ideal, but it helps in a small way.

Paint 'em green and make some fake flowers

Here's a fun one! It's certainly better for straws to end up in a vase on your table than in a landfill. Start by rinsing the straw and letting it dry. The, find some green paint and get to work. For the top of the flower, you can use tissue paper. Check out this tutorial to learn how. This doubles as a fun activity for kids. It could even be a way to teach kids about the harmful effects of plastic straws, showing them that you should make crafts out of them instead of throwing them away! Overall, it's a win-win!

Make some cool artwork for your wall

This could be interesting: glue some straws to a canvas. Maybe cut them up into smaller pieces. Then throw some paint on the canvas. I don't have a tutorial for this one; it's coming straight from the imagination, so bear with me. I'm envisioning a Jackson Pollock style painting. The straws could give it some interesting texture. Again, this could be a fun activity to do with kids! Get creative here. There are no rules. The idea is, we're thinking of ways to turn straws into art instead of throwing them away.

Save them and use them to cut strawberries

This one comes from a lifehack I stumbled upon once upon a time, and it's an interesting one. You know the leaves on the top of a strawberry? You know how they're difficult to cut off without cutting off a big chunk on the edible part of a strawberry? Well, if you have a straw on hand you can stick it through the bottom of the strawberry and all the way through. It should remove the stem cleanly from the top. So, there you have it, that straw is not garbage, it's a strawberry cutter!

Gold spray paint fixes everything

More craft ideas! A little bit of Pinterest research brought up a lot of great ideas. I'm a big believer in gold spray paint. It can transform your craft projects from kitschy to glam. And it's no different when it comes to straws. This is another opportunity to get creative. I would love to try making the geometric sculpture from the left hand side.

Melt them down?

I must admit, I don't have any experience with this one. But I'm sure if you collected a few straws, you would have enough to make something out of the plastic, maybe something that isn't meant to go into a landfill. If you're curious to try this out, however, don't ask for straws! Just be patient, and wait for the times when straws are given to you.

I hope this list gives you a few ideas. Instead of throwing that straw away, think about a creative use for it.