straws

PLASTIC STRAWS

The Readers Digest Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary , 1987, defines Straws

thus: STRAW, a nonn : stalks of threshed grain for thatching used as bedding for l live stock, and, for weaving or braiding as in hats and or baskets. A single stalk of straw. Also, a

slender tube for sucking liquid. .

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Now a taboo , the plastic straw is an unrecycled plastic waste and contributes to

the plastic pollution of the world.

From the Internets Wikipedia, we find a history on it's 'Drinking Straw' page.

A drinking straw or tube is a small pipe that allows the user to more conveniently to

consume a liquid. A small 'tube' of paper or plastic, such as polypropylene or

polystyrene, it is used by placing one end in the mouth and the other end in liquid, and

by muscular action of the tongue and cheeks reduces the air pressure in the mouth, whereipon ,

atmospheric pressure forces the liquid through the straw.

History holds that the first straws were used by Sumerians, the ancient people

of Mesoptania, now Iraq and Kuwait, for drinking their beer which had solid byproducts

of fermentation .

The oldest known straw ever found is dated 3000 BC .

Te 1800's saw straws of rye grass in fashion, being cheap and soft, but, they

turned to mush in the liquid. 1888, Marvin Stone, patented a modern drinking straw

made of paper to address the shortcomings of the rye grass straw which left a grassy

flavor in the drink at hand.

He wound paper around a pencil, used a paste to hold it together. Later he used wax

to replace the paste since the paste dissolved in his bourbon.

Abstract: September 21, 2018, by Harrison H. from Wikipedia. In today's

Cape Gazette Denis Forney said in Baerfootin' that on his beach walks he finds no straws mixed in the beach trash.