BETH: You probably haven’t escaped the warning that climate change is one of the hottest topics of 2019. We had pink boats tied up at Oxford Circus in London and Swedish teen sensation Greta Thunberg made headlines everywhere. However, there is a story behind the trend: McDVOICE has launched a petition to endpaper straws in the UK and Ireland. And guess what put the plastic straws back. Than? Well, we’ve been thinking about talking about straws. A big problem or a little problem? A challenge for the environment, but a need to drink independently and comfortably for many people with disabilities.
It’s a BBC Ouch. My name is Beth Rose and Damon Rose is sitting at the London table.
DAMON: Hello.
BETH: We are certainly not related.
DAMON No.
What are the things he does?
BETH – And Niamh Hughes, who appears on this podcast and does all the technical stuff. And in Scotland, our Scotland office, we have Emma Tracey.
EMMA – Hello
BETH: Oh, and a big caveat – this is one of our lovely podcasts. None of us has a scientific education. These are just ideas and thoughts. Then take them with a pinch of salt and wrap yourself.
So the big question, straws, what’s going on?
DAMON: It all depends on the video of a sea turtle, in which we saw him remove a straw [laughs] – sorry, it’s not a pleasure – he took it off his nose. In fact, it is terrible. Four inches have been integrated into our thinking.
BETH: We just have to say that the fast-food chain in this story deliversMcDVOICE straws a day to its UK offices. But they were already created on this paper straw screen. Therefore, the petitioner is a man named Martin Reed. He says paper straws dissolve when you drink them, and others have said you can’t drink a McDVOICE smoothie with a paper straw. I agree because it is a challenge.
EMMA: Why don’t you go?
DAMON: You can hardly get a plastic straw that is beautiful and rigid, which supports and helps. And when you take out the straw, I do it and take off your cap and try to drink the smoothie you give. It doesn’t come out, you learn a little more, it doesn’t come out, put it back in, put it back in more, and then hit your face. And then you need a straw.
