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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Yesterday, Trump brings back plastic straws - "I'm sure the sharks munching their way through the ocean will just munch them."

202 replies

100A · 14/02/2025 14:47

'Bring back the plastic straws' was another declaration he signed yesterday with a flourish of his Sharpie pen, flanked by the usual obsequious officials and a bigly map of the Gulf of Mexico America (which is is now 'fact' according to his spokeswoman).

You see, the sharks are just there, happily munching along in the ocean, so they'll just bite through the plastic straws because they have very sharp teeth, after all.

People are getting so used to the freak show, this kind of thing doesn't even raise an eyebrow anymore. AIBU to wonder how America is going to ever regain any credibility? We have 4 more years of this!

OP posts:
DazzlingCuckoos · 14/02/2025 15:38

ThejoyofNC · 14/02/2025 14:50

Have you ever been to a fast food restaurant in America? Plastic cups, plastic lids, plastic cutlery, plastic food containers, plastic bags. At least 3x the plastic per meal than we use over here, without a doubt. Why on earth would a paper straw make a difference?

He's right in that paper straws are shit.

Not even just the fast food places. In a supermarket, the cashier bags your groceries for you as they scan. Max two items per bag!

We went to a store in LA and the cashier looked so confused when I produced my own bag and said "it's OK - I'll use this". Then I explained the plastic bag tax in the UK!

That said, if signing something for 4 years of plastic straws keeps Trump away from some of the other truly terrifying things he could be signing, I'll take it.

I saw the clip with his spokesperson getting really angry with someone about the whole Gulf of America thing. Same principal - if he wants to spend his time on something like that, let him.

(I was very, very distracted by the fact that the spokesperson seemed to only be able to move her bottom jaw - the rest of her face was well and truly frozen!)

whoamI00 · 14/02/2025 15:40

Lol, I think he's right. There are tons of things made of plastic. I think banning plastic straws may show the government's initiative to reduce plastic waste, but it just doesn't work. Lol, it seems like a bit of micromanaging.

ExtraOnions · 14/02/2025 15:57

What’s wrong with paper straws ? I’m baffled as to what people are doing, that they dissolve so easily. I’ve never had a paper straw that collapsed through use.

I was glad to see the back of plastic straws, and plastic single use cutlery. The more plastic we get rid of the better.

AnxiouslyAwaitingSpring · 14/02/2025 15:57

@JHound I am a source! I've lived in the US & can attest to this. Absolutely every bloody thing is plastic. All the people I met there and whose homes I visited, used paper plates even when having guests over and yep, the laminated kind. Whenever I got Taco Bell it came in a plastic bag with plastic cutlery which was in a clear plastic sealed bag. They also allllll seem to use disposable gloves in the kitchen, even if just making a sandwich for example. Many US states don't have a recycling collection either (some do but most don't or didn't when I was there) so it's not the norm to have a separate recycling bin. Everything gets thrown out

RosaMoline · 14/02/2025 16:00

MrsTerryPratchett · 14/02/2025 15:02

If you don't like paper straw, buy reusable. FFS people are babies. A turtle with a straw protruding from its nostril should instill empathy. If you aren't an enormous orange sociopath.

I just wanted to say, you’re possibly my favourite MN poster. I always agree with your opinion/advice. ♥️
Sorry to derail!

Original poster
100A · 14/02/2025 16:02

The sharks, they're gonna do a job, a great job, it's gonna be beautiful down there, in the Gulf of AMERICA...

OP posts:
Jesusisking23 · 14/02/2025 16:05

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 14/02/2025 14:53

Tbh

I'm a leftie and yes we should save the planet

But as a mum, and a sen mum at that, paper straws make my life bloody difficult

Why is my child having a meltdown while I'm driving because her straw has disintegrated, but Taylor swift gets to fly her private jet wherever she wants

I agree with this one little thing

This!

and I’m all for it. Paper straws are shit

Member984815 · 14/02/2025 16:05

ThejoyofNC · 14/02/2025 14:50

Have you ever been to a fast food restaurant in America? Plastic cups, plastic lids, plastic cutlery, plastic food containers, plastic bags. At least 3x the plastic per meal than we use over here, without a doubt. Why on earth would a paper straw make a difference?

He's right in that paper straws are shit.

I read before paper straws can't be recycled whereas if you wash a plastic one it can be . Don't know how true it is . Paper straws are shit . Every morning now I put in the news trump has something else to announce , it's getting scary now it's like a child being put in charge of their school

JHound · 14/02/2025 16:16

AnxiouslyAwaitingSpring · 14/02/2025 15:57

@JHound I am a source! I've lived in the US & can attest to this. Absolutely every bloody thing is plastic. All the people I met there and whose homes I visited, used paper plates even when having guests over and yep, the laminated kind. Whenever I got Taco Bell it came in a plastic bag with plastic cutlery which was in a clear plastic sealed bag. They also allllll seem to use disposable gloves in the kitchen, even if just making a sandwich for example. Many US states don't have a recycling collection either (some do but most don't or didn't when I was there) so it's not the norm to have a separate recycling bin. Everything gets thrown out

“Dude, Trust Me” is not a source.

I don’t care how long you lived in the USA. Unless you personally visited 50% of US households then your personal anecdotes are just that - anecdotes.

unsync · 14/02/2025 16:16

This has got to be peak MN. Do people not realise that microplastic in the ocean has entered the food chain? So whilst you're faux outraged about not being able to get a paper straw into a carton of mango(!) juice for your poppet, they'll be chowing down on their fish fingers with added plastic particles - yum.

We'll just ignore all the sea creatures who die agonising, slow deaths from ingesting plastic too, shall we? Where do you draw the line?

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 14/02/2025 16:17
Season 6 Ugh GIF by Parks and Recreation

I wonder what men are sacrificing for the planet

Moon cups, reusable nappies, plastic free baby wipes made with a horrible texture, the constant washing of water bottles for your children

It's enough

Quinlan · 14/02/2025 16:18

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 14/02/2025 16:17

I wonder what men are sacrificing for the planet

Moon cups, reusable nappies, plastic free baby wipes made with a horrible texture, the constant washing of water bottles for your children

It's enough

Edited

😆🤨

You have a massive chip on your shoulder. And you’re just being really weird…

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 14/02/2025 16:19

Quinlan · 14/02/2025 16:18

😆🤨

You have a massive chip on your shoulder. And you’re just being really weird…

Show quote history

I don't care thatttt much but it does make me think on occasion

I don't think it's weird to question that tbh, sometimes your mind wonders when you're queuing up to buy a rubicon carton

Goldenbear · 14/02/2025 16:22

Quinlan · 14/02/2025 14:53

Half of Americans don’t even use proper dishes at home. They eat off laminated paper plates which can’t be recycled. In their homes.
Fast good restaurants pile on the plastic. It’s a ridiculously wasteful country.

Obviously I do wish Trump wasn’t doing this, and should actually be going the other direction and banning more of it. But… I don’t see how it makes much of a dent in a country so full of single use plastics.

Wow - do they really? Why?

ThejoyofNC · 14/02/2025 16:27

Goldenbear · 14/02/2025 16:22

Wow - do they really? Why?

Show quote history

Yes and I have absolutely no idea why, it's absurd. It's extremely common though. Most of them have cupboards filled with plates and functioning dishwashers so there really is no excuse.

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 14/02/2025 16:34

I was on board with paper straws.

But Covid tests (which could just be a paper strip) and disposable vapes exist, so why bother?

The plastic waste is insane, straws are a tiny part of it.

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 14/02/2025 16:39

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 14/02/2025 14:53

Tbh

I'm a leftie and yes we should save the planet

But as a mum, and a sen mum at that, paper straws make my life bloody difficult

Why is my child having a meltdown while I'm driving because her straw has disintegrated, but Taylor swift gets to fly her private jet wherever she wants

I agree with this one little thing

I've given up on paper straw cartons. My 3 year old can usually manage them the younger one can't so I just take a sippy cup everywhere with me and decant the little carton into it.

AcquadiP · 14/02/2025 16:44

unsync · 14/02/2025 16:16

This has got to be peak MN. Do people not realise that microplastic in the ocean has entered the food chain? So whilst you're faux outraged about not being able to get a paper straw into a carton of mango(!) juice for your poppet, they'll be chowing down on their fish fingers with added plastic particles - yum.

We'll just ignore all the sea creatures who die agonising, slow deaths from ingesting plastic too, shall we? Where do you draw the line?

This 100%

britinnyc · 14/02/2025 16:45

AnxiouslyAwaitingSpring · 14/02/2025 15:57

@JHound I am a source! I've lived in the US & can attest to this. Absolutely every bloody thing is plastic. All the people I met there and whose homes I visited, used paper plates even when having guests over and yep, the laminated kind. Whenever I got Taco Bell it came in a plastic bag with plastic cutlery which was in a clear plastic sealed bag. They also allllll seem to use disposable gloves in the kitchen, even if just making a sandwich for example. Many US states don't have a recycling collection either (some do but most don't or didn't when I was there) so it's not the norm to have a separate recycling bin. Everything gets thrown out

I have lived in the U.S. for a long time and have never encountered anyone who uses paper plates at home unless it is a kids party. Where I live we can’t even get plastic knives and forks when we get take out, they are all wood (or maybe some sort of bamboo/fake plastic) and you have to ask for them else you get nothing at all! We also have to pay for bags and most places only have paper not plastic, all very similar to the UK. I take my own bags everywhere and so do most other people. Trump hasn’t really banned paper straws, he is a big fake liar, it is just for the federal government so he can get plastic in his White House canteen but he doesn’t have the power to tell states and local governments to get rid of plastic straws!

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 14/02/2025 16:51

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 14/02/2025 16:17

I wonder what men are sacrificing for the planet

Moon cups, reusable nappies, plastic free baby wipes made with a horrible texture, the constant washing of water bottles for your children

It's enough

Edited

What’s this to do with men or women?

Plastic is a fucking danger to all humanity. Animals die a horrible death from the fucking plastic straws.

Why are you turning this into a feminist issue?

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 14/02/2025 16:52

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 14/02/2025 16:39

I've given up on paper straw cartons. My 3 year old can usually manage them the younger one can't so I just take a sippy cup everywhere with me and decant the little carton into it.

Show quote history

It's ridiculous

I usually have a bottle of squash from home, plus on payday I buy a fruitshoot multipack but sometimes she just wants a quick drink on the go - no thought for mums and children there

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 14/02/2025 16:54

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 14/02/2025 16:52

It's ridiculous

I usually have a bottle of squash from home, plus on payday I buy a fruitshoot multipack but sometimes she just wants a quick drink on the go - no thought for mums and children there

Show quote history

Actually, a ban on plastic products is what your children need to have a safe future.

Not plastic straws.

Your priorities are all wrong.

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 14/02/2025 16:54

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 14/02/2025 16:51

What’s this to do with men or women?

Plastic is a fucking danger to all humanity. Animals die a horrible death from the fucking plastic straws.

Why are you turning this into a feminist issue?

Show quote history

I just wonder sometimes, it does seem like women are the ones getting the shit end of the soggy paper straw here

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 14/02/2025 16:55

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 14/02/2025 16:54

Actually, a ban on plastic products is what your children need to have a safe future.

Not plastic straws.

Your priorities are all wrong.

Show quote history

A ban on plastic products altogether? So baby bottles, toys, potties?