“I would never have thought that Europeans would go to cafes with their cocktail straws,” said an expat living in the Czech Republic on her blog. She was even more impressed by the miniature quilts that the locals also carry with them. The reason is simple – rejection of plastic and hygiene of own drinking straws.
Many European countries have introduced measures to reduce the use of single-use plastic products, including straws. Some countries have banned the use of plastic cocktail straws in public catering establishments, while others impose additional taxes or fees on such products to encourage the use of alternatives.
Instead, cafes and shops began to offer more environmentally friendly alternatives, such as paper or metal straws. However, the first ones did not perform well in this case – they get wet and do not penetrate the cardboard well. But the second option has caught on among Europeans. Metal tubes are sold as whole sets in special pencil cases with a miniature brush in addition, which is designed to clean the inner surface of the tubes.
Metal tubes are usually made of stainless steel or other durable materials and can be used repeatedly after a thorough cleaning. The price of a similar set of four metal tubes and brushes is 165-259 crowns (approximately 7-14 euros). At the same time, the tourist herself did not buy trendy kitchen accessories.