As more businesses ban straws, here are some great alternatives

Using a disposable plastic straw these days is about as cool as choosing a BlackBerry for your smartphone. You just wouldn’t do it.

Drinking from a disposable plastic straw is becoming so last century as people realize these mini tubes are harming ocean life (remember the viral video of a straw pulled from a turtle’s nose?) and clogging up our waterways.

According to Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, which is pushing to reduce straw use with its #SheddTheStraw campaign, straws don’t biodegrade and are nearly impossible to recycle, so it’s likely every straw ever used still exists. Nearly 19 billion pounds of plastic end up in the ocean annually. Each day Americans, alone, use and toss 500 million straws — roughly the same weight as 1,000 cars.

Many restaurants and cities have pushed to ban straws. Starbucks recently committed to going nearly straw-free by 2020 and now uses sippy cup-type lids.

The cities of Malibu, Calif., and Seattle banned plastic straw use. New York City and Hawaii are considering ditching the disposable straw too. It’s not just a U.S. thing, either. Vancouver no longer allows straw use, and Europe is considering forgoing disposable plastic straws.

Plastic straw alternatives range from make-at-home ice straws to Swzle, which makes an eco-friendly straw with its own carrying case, to Tiffany & Co., which has reimagined the flexible straw in sterling silver for its Everyday Objects collection.

If you’re looking for ways to be a smarter sipper, we’ve rounded up the best plastic straw alternatives.

BARBUZZO Chill out: Have your straw perform doubleduty with these ice straws from Barbuzzo. The set comes with six reusable straw molds and a specially designed ice tray. Just add water and freeze. $8.46, amazon.com

KIKKERLAND Go wild: Fun for kids (or the kid in all of us), these safari-themed paper straws might remind you why you’re trying to go green anyway. Best for cold drinks. Four different animal themes in a set of 12, $3.99, kikkerland.com

HUMMINGBIRD STRAWS See what you sip: Hummingbird Straws makes several varieties of glass straws, including these, adorned with colorful dots at the bend. The straws are made of shatter-resistant borosilicate glass and can be used with very cold or very hot drinks. Nine inches tall, they come with a cleaning brush. Dishwasher safe. Set of four, $25, hummingbirdstraws.com

TIFFANY & CO. High meets low: Tiffany’s Everyday Objects crazy straw in sterling silver, $250, and Everyday Objects paper cup in bone china, $95 for a set of two. tiffany.com

STRAWFREE The natural choice: Looking to switch to reusable straws? This bamboo starter pack has two 8-inch, two 10-inch, two wide boba straws for bubble tea, two 6-inch cocktail straws and a cleaning brush, all made of bamboo. Volunteers with the group StrawFree make the straws in Southern California from organic bamboo plants. StrawFree says proceeds go to education and outreach about the impact of plastic pollution. Set of eight straws, $20. strawfree.org

SWZLE Have straw, willtravel: Swzle is a reusable, stainlesssteel, BPA-free and dishwasher-safe straw that comes with a cleaning brush and carrying case. Each case has a magnetic closure and holds two straws and a cleaner. Set of two, $19.99, swzle.com