Sunday 4 October
As this was the last day of the weekend before Graduate School started, I had a few cups of tea without the inevitable academic stress.
But this is a PSA more about the environment than tea itself. While I’ve been here, I’ve started using the metal straw to help protect my teeth. For those who are heavy tea drinkers like myself, using a straw helps with the staining of your front teeth. This goes for all you coffee and red wine drinkers as well.
However, that’s not all a metal straw is useful for. For those who love a fountain drink from fast food restaurants, or a solid milkshake, the single use plastics restaurants provide are an atrocity. And if you’re thinking that this is an expensive option, think again. Mine was free- more ‘trade show-like giveaways’. This also shows that some companies are stepping in the right direction in saving the planet bit by bit.
If you’re looking for something new to watch that will help your brain, rather than turn it to mush (guilty a bit over here), I recommend David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet (Netflix original documentary). Unlike the other Attenborough’s, which don’t get me wrong are freaking fantastic, it shows the effects of humanity throughout or history on the planet, and the oppressive effects in the last 90 years that have decreased the natural world. So as much as corporations are to blame for the majority of destruction of the natural world and increased greenhouse gasses, we the consumer can still do our part: fewer single use items, more vegetarian meals, boycotting on-sustainable palm oil products.
For tea bags- after a study by the BBC, tea companies that did not have compostable tea bags, have promised to remove the plastic component of the bags by the end of 2020- this is progress my friends. If you want a bit more information, watch this quick study: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0PnkwOsHkE. So here’s to more sustainable tea consumption- you know I’ll be keeping up with it.
25/10/2020 at 14:24
I’m a little bit offended that I didn’t get a shout out for giving you that straw!
I’m working on switching to loose-leaf teas rather than individually packaged bags. Palais des thes has biodegradable tea filters if you’d prefer to opt for those over strainers, which don’t always contain the smaller bits of loose leaf!
If you want to order your own straws (including glass or bamboo if you don’t like the taste of metal and reusable boba straws) without sending money to amazon, packagefreeshop.com is a great alternative!