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Plastic Straw Alternative (Qualities of Ideal Solution (Mimic the…
Plastic Straw Alternative
Alternative Materials
Stainless Steel
Issue: Material is a heat conductor so it is not suited for hot or very cold beverages
Cooper
Issue: Material is a heat conductor so it is not suited for hot or very cold beverages
Glass
Issue: Dangerous for children and must be carried around
Bamboo
Issue: Makes everything taste like wood
Paper
Issue: Disintegrates
Edible Straws
Issue: often disintegrate in liquid and taste sweet
An ideal solution would be an edible straw that is made of a food product that does not disintegrate in liquid (Toubia, 2014)
Alternative Cup Design
Integrate design of straw into the cups manufactured for large restaurants like McDonald's
Instead of glueing the cups so that the overlapping paper is flat, it could be glued so that there would be a gap in the paper that would mimic a straw. It would require a redesign of the lids and cups used by restaurants but it would eliminate the need for straws.
The little "wave" in the material could be used as a straw
Straw Bowl Type Design
Alternative Lid Design
Sippy Cup Type Design (Ferguson, 2012)
Issue: eliminates the need for a straw but does not mimic the functionality of a straw (ability to drink a drink without tipping or lifting the cup)
Lid With Built in Straw
Issue: Although it would not decrease the amount of plastic or other material used, it would be less likely to be swallowed by marine life, etc.
Qualities of Ideal Solution
Mimic the functionality of a straw
Use less plastic or other material than a traditional straw or a straw made of that material
Cost Efficient and durable
Compatible with Existing Systems: Adaptable on a large scale (i.e. could be by McDonald's, Starbucks, etc.)
Hygienic (not realistic for McDonald's to reuse lids, cups, or straws)
Feasible
Eco-friendly
