The plastic straws in the milk tea shop have disappeared, probably because of the "plastic restriction order" that started at the beginning of the year.
My friend bought two seasonal cups as usual. We took the drinks and straws and walked out. In the originally simple process of inserting a straw, we all showed unprecedented insecurity. We aimed at a point and poked it three or four times, and the milk tea was spilled.
But the real test has yet to come. The paper straw not only exudes the smell of a portfolio, but after two sips, a coconut fruit that may exceed the specification is stuck in the tube, ending the pleasant intake. We stood on the street, holding our breath, even sucking and sucking, but in the end we could not clear the pipe. At this time, my mind went blank, and I couldn't help but think of all the past events between humans and straws.
Stills from "The Little Light that Gives Us Warmth"
The first straw known to mankind was made by the Sumerians 5,000 years ago. Archaeologists once discovered an inlay in their tomb. It is a gold tube decorated with precious blue lapis lazuli. Not only that, the residue of fermentation liquid was detected on it. It can be deduced that the main purpose of this straw is to avoid drinking sludge and sediment in the wine liquid when drinking.
The Argentinians also have a similar invention. They will extend a tube with a filter metal cover into the drink to filter the residue of mate tea or vanilla tea . This device, known as "Bombilla", evolved several times and was subsequently replaced by the almost free wheat straw. But people soon discovered the shortcomings of straw. When drinking hot tea, plant straws easily softened after soaking, producing an unpleasant grassy smell, which affected the taste of the tea itself, so everyone carried one in their pockets. Bombilla".
Marvin Stone is the inventor of the modern straw. Through observation, he discovered that straws could fine-tune overcold or overheated drinks to the right drinking temperature. So, he got inspiration from cigarettes and made the first mass-produced straws out of paraffin-coated manila paper.
This kind of paper straw will neither break nor have a strange smell. The diameter of about half a centimeter is just enough to prevent the fruit core from getting stuck in the tube. The length of 8.5 centimeters can not only adjust the temperature, but also allow the drinker to easily place the cup. On the table, there is no need to hold the cup frequently.
picture | pixabay
The plastic straws we commonly see today became popular after World War II. It is low-cost and soon attracted the attention of catering practitioners. As cheap fast food such as burgers and French fries flowed into various countries, using straws quickly became the "most fashionable way" to drink carbonated drinks. Straws free up hands and make life faster. People can take various drinks with them when going out, traveling, going to work or working overtime.
Sucking is human instinct. In the food culture of various countries, there are suctionable foods, such as noodles and soup dumplings that are loved by Asians, such as custard pudding and oysters that Europeans like. Even without straws, people It also purses its lips to form a tube in the mouth to suck in delicious food. It can be seen that straws are perhaps one of the most entertaining tablewares, which allow people to find childhood memories while eating.
Stills from "Si Teng"
My memory of the straw was not very good at first, probably because it was an accessory to cold medicine. A small tube directs 10 ml of medicinal solution directly into the throat, avoiding large contact between the bitter taste and the taste buds. 's first good memory is a drink called "Mochi Peach Juice". We often hide the drinks under the desk. During class, we secretly plug in the tube, bend down slightly to suck the bottle of flavored drink that does not contain any peaches. The slender tube seems to bring peaches to our mouths. inside.Occasionally, someone would suck an empty bottle and make noise, which would result in punishment from the teacher.
The first time I saw a medium straw was in McDonald's in the mid-1990s. Its function was to inhale a mixture of ice and water, such as milkshake . I was extremely shocked by the taste of the first sip of the milkshake. Its texture was substantial, rich, and even a little greasy.
At that time, we often played a game, rolling up the two ends of the straw, compressing the air in the tube to the middle, and flicking it hard to make a "pop" sound. However, this is not environmentally friendly. Many years later, McDonald's milkshakes were removed from the shelves, and the material of the straws was also changed, so that they no longer made any sound.
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html In the late 1990s, straws became thicker again, thanks to the milk tea in Taiwan's night markets. Tu Zonghe, who had a meager income and relied on street painting to make a living, created this new drink inspired by pink balls.
During that time, the thick straw, like a black hole, filled the cup with glutinous rice pearls, turtle paste , konjac , coconut, sago, fruit pellets, and crushed grains, bringing people a sense of fulfillment and happiness. a feeling of. Small glutinous rice balls have changed the flavor of red and green tea, and seem to carry more youth culture. The tea, sugar water and snacks that we were once familiar with have been reborn and continued in the milk tea dominated by thick straws.
Stills from " Ultimate Class "
However, the good times did not last long. There are more and more news about the intrusion of plastic products on the ecological environment. According to United Nations statistics, it is estimated that more than 8 million tons of plastic waste are thrown into the ocean every year, which is equivalent to a garbage truck full of plastic being dumped into the sea every minute. Plastics account for 60-90% of the garbage accumulated on coastlines, ocean surfaces and seabeds. Data also shows that disposable straws in China generate at least 30,000 tons of plastic waste every year, accounting for one-tenth of all plastic waste.
As a result, the "Opinions on Further Strengthening the Control of Plastic Pollution" issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment at the beginning of the year was hailed by the industry as "the most stringent plastic restriction order in history." Later, the plastic straws in milk tea shops were replaced with paper straws, PLA (polylactic acid) straws and PLA+PBS straws.
Picture | Visual China
Zheng Wangdong is the inventor of the paper straw. He was a student at the Institute of Commercial Design. He was extremely shocked after seeing the picture of a turtle inserting a plastic straw into his nose, so he invented the foldable straw to replace the traditional plastic straw. Paper straws. This design of also won him the IDEA Bronze Award for Outstanding Industrial Design Award in 2016.
PLA is renewable and easy to degrade. It is not much different from traditional plastic straws in use. However, the cost of PLA straws is higher. Due to the characteristics of the material and short shelf life, it has not become the first choice of some merchants. Paper straws have attracted a lot of complaints. In addition to being burned and buried after recycling, most of the complaints focus on its taste and practicality. The material of paper is vulnerable to water, and it seems to have become Its biggest weakness. In the coming winter, more and more hot drinks will be used, which will make paper straws face a more severe test.
Compared with the hundreds of years of degradation cycle of plastic, paper products are naturally decomposed in only a few months. Although paper straws have suffered too much criticism, this round of discussion has also made many people realize the importance of environmental protection. Someone has provided the following solutions for the future of straws. How would you choose?
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