Before you pack that organic juice box into your child's lunch box this fall, consider this: 500 million disposable straws are used in the US daily according to researchers at Be Straw Free. That's enough to fill 127 school buses a day, or over 46,400 buses per year. So, the next time your waiter hands your child a drink in a plastic cup, with a plastic lid, and a plastic straw, you can say, "No, thanks," or (if you don't want your kids to hate you) you can say, “We brought our own.” That's when you whip out your eco-friendly straws! Several companies have come up with thoughtful alternatives made from glass, stainless steel, and even corn, all which may help to save the planet and your children's health. Your waiter might give you a strange look, but in an addled parents’ world, this is one small way to make a big difference.
