SENSIBLE SIPPERS

Smoothies, bubble tea, crushed ice cocktails — some drinks simply demand a straw. But if you don’t want to add to the plastic waste littering our land and sea, what are you going to do? Here are a few sustainable options:

Paper straws: Pretty, compostable and recyclable, paper straws are making a comeback. The Cross Decor & Design carries some chic ones for $6.95 or $10.95 a package, or you can order them online from Albertabased GreenMunch (greenmunch.ca), which carries four different sizes, plain or patterned, for prices ranging from $4 for 25 straws to $195 for 2,250 straws.

Corn-based plastic: In a commercial setting, where food safety is a concern, you want something that’s guaranteed to be hygienic. And for that you want individually wrapped straws made from biodegradable corn plastic. It’s still litter, but it is at least compostable. GreenMunch carries them for $21.26 for a box of 300 or $249 for a case of 4,800 jumbo-sized straws, and $18.11 for 400 or $319 for 9,600 regular straws.

Bamboo: Both compostable and reusable, bamboo makes a great material for straws — they’re durable and completely natural. Portland, Ore.-based Bambu imports them from China; they’re available in Canada from the health and beauty website well.ca for $14.49 for a pack of six, including a cleaning brush. Stainless steel: These are chic, reusable and can last a lifetime. The only issue is keeping them clean, and for that, you need a teeny little brush. You can order them online from the Vancouverbased My Little Green Shop, which carries stainless steel straws by Onyx for $11 or $12 for a four-pack, including cleaning brush (mylittlegreenshop.com).