These Convenient Reusable Straws Will Help Protect the Environment (and Your Teeth)

A whopping 300 million tons of plastic are produced every single year, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). And at least 8 million tons of the stuff litters our precious oceans annually, ending up in the stomachs (and noses) of wildlife and even making its way into the food we eat. Half of all plastic is designed to be used just once, per the IUCN, which includes shopping bags, cups, and yes, our beloved drinking straws.

Why are plastic straws such a problem?

An estimated 390 million straws are used each day just in the U.S. alone. By 2050, plastic could outweigh all the fish in the world’s oceans. We’re neck-deep in plastic (and, you know, an environmental crisis) without an obvious solution. No amount of individual action can have the same impact that regulation does, but cutting out disposable straws can be a way to make a small difference in our own lives.

A few years ago, the backlash grew so large that cities like Washington, D.C. and Seattle began phasing out single-use straws entirely. Late last summer, Starbucks officially ditched single-use straws in its stores. As we redefine our relationship with plastic, single-use plastic straws will likely become less and less common.

Wait, straws have some benefits, right?

Here’s the issue: Straws, when they’re not actively harming the environment, are actually beneficial. Besides their obvious convenience, they’re crucial for people living with disabilities, who might not be able to lift a drink high enough to sip or hold an open cup without spilling.

Straws are also better for our teeth; one study found that people who drank soda through a straw had much less acidic plaque than those who didn’t use one, leaving their mouths less primed for tooth discoloration and decay. Straws aren’t the enemy—single-use plastic is. That’s why reusable straws are so important: They deliver all the benefits of their single-use counterparts without the downsides.

How to find the best reusable straw for you

Hear us out: Picking a straw is actually harder than it may seem. Consider the consistency and the temperature of the beverages you sip most often, and make sure that your reusable straw of choice has the right width and materials for them. Also important is your cup or glass—will your straw fit inside any holes it has? Here’s a brief breakdown of your options:

✔️ Stainless steel: Metal reusable straws come in plenty of materials, but stainless steel is the most common. It’s durable and easy to clean, but some people notice a metallic taste when drinking through it. Metal conducts heat more than other options, meaning it’ll heat up in hot drinks and cool down in cold ones.

✔️ Silicone: Like single-use plastic’s more sustainable cousin, silicone straws are flexible and snugly fit into tight spaces, although some people find they’re too bendy. Silicone is the best option to protect your teeth if you have a straw-biting habit, and it doesn’t heat up as much when drinking hot beverages.

✔️ Glass: With none of the potential taste or chemicals from metal or plastic, glass is a dishwasher-safe material that also happens to look really good. By its very nature, glass is sensitive to temperature changes and pressure, meaning it can break when put through too much stress.

Beyond these materials, other options like ultra-sustainable bamboo and affordable hard plastic are also available for sippers who crave something else. Now that you know what to look for, shop these top-rated reusable straws below (and check out other ways to shrink your carbon footprint).