Ted Rall for March 15, 2018

Thanks, TR. I don’t use straws or plastic lids on my coffee. It’s a small thing, but it makes a difference on some infinitesimal level.

Now if we could do something about the cups.

Oh, Tedders, there ARE alternatives: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FI1F1MW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qT-rOXB6NI

https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/blogs/remember-kid-who-invented-way-clean-ocean-plastic-hes-back-and-its-happening

Put sugar in cup (along with any other stuff you put in your coffee), then pour in your coffee. No stirrer needed. Alternative; keep a spoon with you, and stir the darned stuff.

I see no reason for using a straw, except maybe for some hospital patients.

I’m a fan of straw bans.I see that Fort Myers Beach, FL passed such a ban recently, and yet the world hasn’t ended.

Not guilty of either of these offenses, but I do use disposable coffee cups. I can never remember to bring my travel cup.

And to remove the plastic microbeads dispersed in the oceans:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/plastic-choked-seas-marcella-hansch-wants-to-save-the-ocean-a-1193548.html

The kids (well, youong adults now) are putting their minds to the problem seriously. The rest of us need to do the same.

Hell, you don’t even need to swish. Put your sugar and/or cream into the cup before pouring in your coffee or tea. The act of pouring the coffee does a pretty good job of stirring. I’ve been doing it for years.

For every straw regulation – you have to take away 2 straw regulations – this is Trump’s American now.

Other countries are taking actions to curb plastic pollution. It is a shame that too many people in the US think that this country doesn’t have important things to learn from other countries.

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/02/taiwan-commits-to-banning-plastic-items-by-2030?utm_content=buffera46bb&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Scary when you think about it. Call it 50 million who buy coffee at a coffee shop. Only 40 times a year. I’ll bet the actual number is much higher.

Cars, meat and television. Which of the three could you give up? I gave up all three and I still lead a life of luxury unimaginable to billions. Giving up a little daunting? You could always try gradually cutting back. But, what about the children? I have three high maintenance young boys and they are doing just fine.