Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Jun 5, 2018 18:23:47 GMT -5
I just happened on an article critical of a widely cited statistic: Americans use an average of 500 million plastic straws per day. This would be an average of 1.6 straws per day for every man, woman, and child in America, which strikes me as absurd based on my own consumption. My most recent straw usage was in a restaurant nearly a month ago. But I'm also not a typical consumer. Little kids sucking on juiceboxes might use a few straws per day if parents are pumping them full of juice, but I still don't see it bringing the average up to 1.6 per capita per day. Hence, a spot poll from YMAM consumers: 1. How many plastic straws have you personally used in the past week? 2. If you have young kids living at home with you, how many plastic straws would you estimate they each used in the past week? If you can remember back as far as a month, monthly estimates would be even better.
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Artemis Windsong
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Post by Artemis Windsong on Jun 5, 2018 18:35:25 GMT -5
I threw a straw away that I had saved the plastic cup when I had iced tea at a coffee place. Probably 2 straws in restaurants in the past month. Total 3.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Jun 5, 2018 18:36:50 GMT -5
I think straws are pretty common when going out to eat. So, yes, we have used straws.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Jun 5, 2018 18:39:48 GMT -5
With my mouth I’m using straws.
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Cheesy FL-Vol
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Post by Cheesy FL-Vol on Jun 5, 2018 19:08:35 GMT -5
Considering the high consumption of convenience store and fast food beverages, that average wouldn’t surprise me. DH and I go out to eat once a week. I do use a straw with my ice water when we are out. I drink bottled water at the rare fast food stop, so no straws there.
my beverages of choice are always coffee, water, hot tea, or wine if our dinner restaurant has it available.
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Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Jun 5, 2018 19:47:36 GMT -5
I think straws are pretty common when going out to eat. So, yes, we have used straws. Do you have an estimate of how many in the past week?
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Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Jun 5, 2018 19:49:00 GMT -5
With my mouth I’m using straws. O...kay. That equals about how many per week?
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Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Jun 5, 2018 19:49:52 GMT -5
Considering the high consumption of convenience store and fast food beverages, that average wouldn’t surprise me. DH and I go out to eat once a week. I do use a straw with my ice water when we are out. I drink bottled water at the rare fast food stop, so no straws there. my beverages of choice are always coffee, water, hot tea, or wine if our dinner restaurant has it available. So you'd say about 1-2 straws a week on average?
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Post by empress of self-improvement on Jun 5, 2018 19:50:57 GMT -5
0 No kids
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Cheesy FL-Vol
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Post by Cheesy FL-Vol on Jun 5, 2018 19:51:18 GMT -5
Considering the high consumption of convenience store and fast food beverages, that average wouldn’t surprise me. DH and I go out to eat once a week. I do use a straw with my ice water when we are out. I drink bottled water at the rare fast food stop, so no straws there. my beverages of choice are always coffee, water, hot tea, or wine if our dinner restaurant has it available. So you'd say about 1-2 straws a week on average? For me, just 1 on average.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Jun 5, 2018 20:00:19 GMT -5
With my mouth I’m using straws. O...kay. That equals about how many per week?
Well, since Friday night probably 3 a day. Until swelling goes down, probably the same
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Jun 5, 2018 20:20:43 GMT -5
I think straws are pretty common when going out to eat. So, yes, we have used straws. Do you have an estimate of how many in the past week? I don't know really. Maybe a couple a month if we go out to eat. We dont' get eat fast food or get drinks that way so usually just at a restaurant. But, often times i don't even use a straw because I am not 5 and can drink without one! lol
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haapai
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Post by haapai on Jun 5, 2018 20:27:55 GMT -5
Prolly one a day. Those coffee stirrers are killing my average.
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Knee Deep in Water Chloe
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Post by Knee Deep in Water Chloe on Jun 5, 2018 20:39:45 GMT -5
1. How many plastic straws have you personally used in the past week?
I consistently use three to five per week. I have four travel coffee mugs. Three of them need straws (because I'm a slob). Figure 190/year each for me and 250/year for DH, so 440 total/year just for coffee. 2. If you have young kids living at home with you, how many plastic straws would you estimate they each used in the past week?
My 16 yo can also be counted for at least 200/year
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chapeau
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Post by chapeau on Jun 5, 2018 20:58:23 GMT -5
DD takes a glass of water to bed every night. The glass has a lid and needs a straw. So 365/year right there. She takes a juice box to school 2-3/week, so another 90 there ... she uses 500/year, conservatively, accounting for eating out and getting straws there. I broke the permanent straw that came with my favorite travel glass, so I use a disposable one for it. I probably use that cup 2-3/week, so 130/year there. I also get iced coffee once a week, and given my spilling issues, a lid and straw are required, so ... between DD and I, I’d feel safe with 750/year. Couldn’t begin to guess DH. He’s always getting a drink with a straw when he eats out, so lots. DD hates the texture of paper straws. I usually drink water from my travel glass all day at work, and I can’t imagine a paper straw lasting that long.
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tractor
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Post by tractor on Jun 5, 2018 20:59:13 GMT -5
I use between 8-10 a week. Sadly, I eat out almost every day (sometimes twice a day), and even my smoothies come with plastic straws.
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Jun 5, 2018 21:06:42 GMT -5
Zero straws past seven days. Two the past 30 days?
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toomuchreality
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Post by toomuchreality on Jun 5, 2018 21:12:37 GMT -5
I probably use 1 per week avg. Once in awhile more, but oftentimes less. If I'm at home and want/need one, I have some reusable straws that can go in the dishwasher.
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haapai
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Post by haapai on Jun 5, 2018 21:13:34 GMT -5
Zero straws past seven days. Two the past 30 days? How many bottles of water or soda have you consumed in the last month? I'm sure that they got recycled, but what happened to the caps? I'm trying to point out that there might be a class element here, and that straws weight a whole lot less than bottle caps.
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steff
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Post by steff on Jun 5, 2018 21:21:28 GMT -5
I used to use 1 a day in my insulated cup here at home. I love the insulated Yeti style cups, but I hate the opening on top, so I always used a straw. about 2 months ago I ordered a dozen stainless steel straws to use instead. Took a week or two to get used to them, but now it's no big deal.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2018 21:50:59 GMT -5
I don't have to estimate this. In the past 30 years I have used ZERO disposable straws (I do have a "straw" in my water bottle... but it's reusable, heavy-duty plastic, so I don't count it, even though it IS plastic. I'm pretty sure they are talking about the plastic ones from McDonald's or at "real" restaurants).
I'd be guessing but I think the last time I used a disposable straw I was something like... 16(?), 17(?).
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Jun 5, 2018 21:59:01 GMT -5
Zero straws past seven days. Two the past 30 days? How many bottles of water or soda have you consumed in the last month? I'm sure that they got recycled, but what happened to the caps? I'm trying to point out that there might be a class element here, and that straws weight a whole lot less than bottle caps.
Not a soda drinker And I have glass water bottle in the fridge. Drink out of hard plastic and glass cups sans straws at restaurants.
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weltschmerz
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Post by weltschmerz on Jun 5, 2018 22:20:38 GMT -5
I just happened on an article critical of a widely cited statistic: Americans use an average of 500 million plastic straws per day.
This would be an average of 1.6 straws per day for every man, woman, and child in America, which strikes me as absurd based on my own consumption. My most recent straw usage was in a restaurant nearly a month ago. But I'm also not a typical consumer. Little kids sucking on juiceboxes might use a few straws per day if parents are pumping them full of juice, but I still don't see it bringing the average up to 1.6 per capita per day. Hence, a spot poll from YMAM consumers: 1. How many plastic straws have you personally used in the past week? 2. If you have young kids living at home with you, how many plastic straws would you estimate they each used in the past week? If you can remember back as far as a month, monthly estimates would be even better.
Nothing absurd about it. Canadians throw out about 57 million straws each and every day. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/plastic-straws-styrofoam-garbage-vancouver-1.4605754Me? I don't use straws. Even when eating out, I specify "no straw".
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kadee79
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Post by kadee79 on Jun 5, 2018 22:22:05 GMT -5
Maybe one in the last month when we ate fast food.
We don't use them at home & only when we eat in at restaurants.
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weltschmerz
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Post by weltschmerz on Jun 5, 2018 22:23:50 GMT -5
This is why I don't use straws.
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Jun 5, 2018 22:37:43 GMT -5
I'd guesstimate 1 straw every 2 months? That's about how often I either buy a beverage from a fast food place OR eat at a restaurant that would serve a beverage with a straw.
I'd say my highest 'straw using years' would have been HS (buying a beverage in the cafeteria included a straw) and that was 36 years ago... I went 'green' early in life, that Crying Indian PSA haunted me and once I had more autonomy (could make better choices) I did. I prefer my soda(pop) in aluminum cans - versus plastic. I never took up water in plastic bottles either.
No plastic stir sticks for my coffee either. I drink it black. I'm not fond of brown colored water that is sold as coffee so I make my own at home.
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busymom
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Post by busymom on Jun 5, 2018 22:47:46 GMT -5
Zero straws in the past week. For the last month, maybe 3 total.
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Virgil Showlion
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Post by Virgil Showlion on Jun 6, 2018 0:14:11 GMT -5
OK, tabulating so far: Member | Reported Number
| Equivalent Per-Day
| Virgil Showlion
| 2 in Past Month
| 1/15 | Artemis Angel
| 3 in Past Month
| 1/10
| empress of self-destruction
| 0 in Past Week
| 0 | Cheesy | 1 Per Week
| 1/7
| Shooby | 2 Per Month
| 1/15 | Zibazinski | 3 Per Day
| 3 | chapeau's DD
| 500 Per Year
| 500/365 ~ 1.37 | chapeau
| 250 Per Year
| 250/365 ~ 0.685 | tractor
| 8-10 Per Week
| 9/7 | haapai
| 1 Per Day
| 1 | Tennesseer
| 2 in Past 30 Days
| 1/15 | Treading Water Chloe
| 190 per Year
| 190/365 ~ 0.521 | Treading Water Chloe's DH
| 250 Per Year
| 250/365 ~ 0.685 | Treading Water Chloe's Child
| 200 Per Year
| 200/365 ~ 0.548 | steff
| 1 per Day (Previously)
| 1 | RichardInTN
| 0 Per Year
| 0 | weltschmerz
| 0 Per Year
| 0 | Ti4ny
| 1 Per 2 Months
| 1/61
| busymom
| 3 in Past Month
| 1/10 |
Hopefully I haven't missed any. So far this yields a per-day average of a little under 0.6, suggesting 192 million per day if America was made up of YMAMers. The only real outlier seems to be Zib, and she's apparently recovering from some trauma to her mouth. ETA: I should note that while Weltz and I technically shouldn't be part of the sample, 57 million straws per day for Canada's population is virtually identical to 500 million per day in the US, hence I'm not going to make any distinction between the two populations.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Jun 6, 2018 6:57:59 GMT -5
Yes I’m liquid pretty much diet. Other than that I only use straws if I eat out.
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NoNamePerson
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Post by NoNamePerson on Jun 6, 2018 7:09:56 GMT -5
Count me in the ZERO straw user. I hate them. WAs probably a small kid when last used one.
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