Are agave straws really better than plastic?
A trend that’s emerged in the past decade are these drinking straws that are being promoted as made from agave fibers — the agave fibers being a byproduct of the process for making Tequila and Mezcal. The straws are marketed as biodegradable. But I think — emphasis on “think” — that these straws are at least in part made from plastics and are not actually entirely biodegradable. At least not in the way that they are presented. So I invited Natasha Tucker, the executive director of Mind Your Plastic, to have that conversation. Are agave straws really better for the earth than plastic straws? At the risk of giving away the answer, it’s another heartbreaking episode of Agave Road Trip!
Agave Road Trip is a critically acclaimed, award-winning podcast that helps gringx bartenders better understand agave, agave spirits, and rural Mexico. This episode is hosted by Lou Bank with guest cohost Natasha Tucker of Mind Your Plastic.
Looking for Ancestral Agave Syrup? Click here for the sweet life!
Episode Notes
Mind Your Plastic is a not-for-profit that is working to end plastic pollution in Canada. By participating in their programs, you can help make that happen. To learn about those programs, click here.
I found them because, like SACRED, they are a 1% for the Planet Environmental Partner. To find other not-for-profits that are trying to preserve the planet, click here.
That image from the episode cover? That’s an agave straw that’s been sitting in my backyard compost bin since November 4, 2021. The picture was taken April 2, 2024.
Here’s a related story that dropped a couple weeks after this episode: “Should Bioplastics Be Allowed in Organic Compost?,” Civil Eats, April 29, 2024
I’m glad they aren’t 100% plastic, but these straws are still going to wind up in a garbage dump. Better to not use straws at all, unless you have to.