While we all become aware of the severity and consequences of the plastic problem on our planet, more and more people are stopping to use plastic straws altogether.
To tackle the problem, many people have come up with new ways to use sustainable materials to make straws from. The latest example comes from a young Vietnamese man who created a straw made of wild grass, which has been making rounds all over the web.
Tran Minh Tien runs Ống Hút Cỏ, a Vietnamese company that manufactures two types of straws out of sedge grass, which grows along the Mekong Delta, according to The Epoch Times.
Posted by Ống hút cỏ on Wednesday, March 27, 2019
The sedge grass has a hollow stem, so it is naturally shaped like a straw, a VnExpress International video explained.
The Facebook video explains how the grass is turned into food-safe straws.
In order to create both dried and fresh straws, the grass is picked, washed, and chopped into straw-sized tubes. Later, the inside of the staws is cleaned by an iron rod, followed by another washing.
The grass is greener when it becomes a straw
A Vietnamese youth is making biodegradable straws with grass that grows wild in the Mekong Delta. https://bit.ly/2I1nF0T
Posted by VnExpress International on Tuesday, March 26, 2019
If the straws produced are to be sold fresh, a hundred of them are collected and then packed inside banana leaves.
According to Ống Hút Cỏ’s webpage, fresh straws last for around two weeks inside a fridge, and should best be kept in a ziplock bag. Should you want to extend the lifespan of these straws, the webpage suggests boiling them with some salt, drying, and then storing them in a cold dry place.
If the straws are to be purchased by someone dried, after the last washing, they should be left out in the sun for 2-3 days, and then baked in an oven. This dries them out and prolongs their lifespan for up to 6 months at room temperature. Currently, these straws are only being used in Vietnam, but their creator is experimenting with delivering them to other nations.
If you wish to watch Ống Hút Cỏ’s short documentary below, make sure to click the captions button to activate English subtitles.
Both types of straws are edible, compostable, chemical and preservative-free, as well as affordable.
According to Ống Hút C, chewing them after consuming food can even clean your teeth and gums. The fresh ones cost around 2.6 cents per straw, while the dried ones cost around 4.3 cents, as per VnExpress International.
Compostable Wild Grass Straws Are Vietnam's Newest Zero-Waste Straw Option
This fresh straw last for 2 weeks in fridge, for making it last even longer the company suggests boiling the straws with some salt, letting dry, & then storing in a cool dry place https://t.co/2FoICIpGHW pic.twitter.com/gbPzBOeGt7
— Plastic Soup Foundation (@plasticsoupfoun) April 23, 2019
Vietnamese company Zero Waste Saigon aims to raise awareness of the global plastic problem, and it also sells straws made from Mekong Delta’s wild grass.
Tran Minh Tien told Green Matters that their company’s straws come from a different manufacturer than Ống Hút Cỏ.
A recent trend in returning to natural materials for everyday use, including banana leaves for packaging and natural…
Posted by Zero Waste Saigon on Wednesday, September 18, 2019
While the most eco-friendly option remains not using straws at all, many people prefer to use them. However, it is amazing that new plastic-free options are increasingly becoming available all over the world.
What are your thoughts on these amazing eco-friendly straws? Let us know by joining the conversation in the comments and please share this article if you’ve found it of value.
