Tuesday, April 12, 2011

The Last Straw


Any mom knows that kids love straws. Some may also know that straws are great tools to use for oral motor development and speech articulation. But you may question their safety and effect on the environment. Most straws are made from polypropylene (#5) but since they’re not stamped with the #5 plastic symbol, they’re not easily recyclable or often recycled so into the trash they go. Think about how many straws are sent to the landfill each year- the top two fast food restaurants serve almost 100 MILLION drinks each day. In addition, I'm still not comfortable with my children drinking warm liquids through plastic straws. So this mom was very excited to find "the last straw" I'll ever need to buy - safe for my children and the environment!

GlassDharma was started by a California glass blower who was "struck by the unique elegance in such a simple item and created a line of glass drinking straws to contribute one solution to the misuse of plastics in our society". These glass drinking straws are made of borosilicate tubing and is the strongest glass commercially available. "Borosilicate glass is often used for high-quality beverage glassware and kitchenware (a popular brand name is Pyrex®), has increased durability and microwave and dishwasher compatibility. It also contains no lead or other toxins that could leach into your drink."

So you are thinking "that's great, but kids and glass straws?". I was skeptical, too, so I was happy when the company sent me samples to let my children try. After all, the company does have a Lifetime Guarantee against breakage and a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee! I was pleasantly surprised at the durability of these straws. They stood the test of my two less-than-gentle children. The straws are easy to clean. They can be washed by hand or in the dish washer. If anything gets stuck on the inside, GlassDharma does have cleaning brushes. They are also easy to take on-the-go in GlassDharma's 100% Hemp Soft Sleeve or one of their Bamboo Hard Cases.

I've forgotten to mention that adults love these straws, too! They have a simple elegance to them and their "Decorative Dots" line looks like something you'd find in a super trendy kitchenware store. So even if you could care less about being eco-friendly, the trendy design will win you over!

Normally the phrase "the last straw" is associated with something negative, but in this case, it couldn't be more positive! A safe product that's eco-friendly and handmade in the U.S.A.!

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