No More Soggy Straws

PLASTIC STRAWS don’t break down in the environment very well (and find their way into our water and wreak havoc with the environment while harming sea turtles and other creatures in our oceans.) So, many restaurants in the south Florida have turned to paper straws as an alternative. While better for the environment, paper can quickly turn soggy and useless.

Enter Greenprint, a company which focuses on building a sustainable ecosystem in the disposables industry. Among their many environmentally friendly product offerings are their PHA Straws, which are made from canola seeds and function as well or better than plastic or paper. “Our PHA straws are internationally certified as marine biodegradable. They are also certified for industrial & home compost as well as soil biodegradable.”

These straws are free of BPA’s (chemicals used in plastics) and PFA’s (forever chemicals), can be used for hot and cold beverages and as they note, you can “forget about soggy straws!”

Or check out Greenprint’s Natural Agave

Straws, another ideal alternative to plastic straws. They contain natural and organic pigments and are made from agave and other plant fibers. They also won’t get soggy in hot or cold drinks, have no BPA’s of PFA’s, and will break down naturally in landfills. “Our Agave line is bio-based and sourced from the agro-industrial waste that the tequila industry in Jalisco, Mexico generates. These innovative products are lab tested to degrade in 1-3 years when in a biologically active landfill. In other words, you can dispose of our products like you regularly do in a trash can, where they will begin to decompose. A much better alternative to plastic products.”

For more information or to order, go to greenprintproducts.com.

Fly the Flag

THE CURRENT STATE FLAG of Florida, a red “saltire” [a symbol of heraldry with a diagonal cross, also known as a St. Andrew’s Cross] on a white background with the state seal in the center, was redesigned and officially sanctioned on May 21, 1985. It is one of 3 state flags, alongside Mississippi and Georgia, bearing the U.S. motto, “In God We Trust.” Curiously, while the state had no official flag when it joined the Union in 1845, at the inauguration of the then governor the flag of Florida used bore the motto “Let Us Alone.” Several different flag designs were used upon Florida’s secession from the Union in 1861. From 1868, after the state was re-patriated, the official flag of Florida was the state seal upon a white background. Later, in the 1890’s Florida’s governor noted that the flag looked like a surrender flag with the state seal and advocated for the red saltire, which in 1900 was officially added by referendum of the people. While there have been a few changes since, the official Florida flag has remained consistently recognizable to this day.