Reducing our plastic footprint

Re: “Yes, plastic straws are really that bad,” July 25 editorial

I remember when drinking straws seemed to be made of paper or cardboard.

Can’t we go back to that? Meanwhile: Don’t use a plastic straw if you don’t need one.

I lived in another country for two years and never saw a straw. I didn’t die of thirst.

But if you do use a plastic straw, recycle it, along with the plastic bag in which your Denver Post is delivered. Steve Baur, Westminster

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I applaud the battle against ubiquitous use of plastic straws, and your editorial support of it. This has long been a peeve of mine and I routinely request no straws, although this request is usually ignored or forgotten. What baffles me is that my delivered Denver Post newspaper comes in a plastic bag every day. No precipitation in the forecast for weeks on end? Doesn’t seem to matter;

there it is again in a bag that is only worthy of picking up pet excrement. There must be a better way, even if the solution is for the very limited time that a daily physical paper still exists. Anne Goldsmith, Denver

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Re: “Kroger should lead on plastics,” July 26 letter to the editor

Martin Allen of Centennial feels that Kroger/ King Soopers should be embarrassed into restoring crediting shoppers pennies per bag when they brought their own bags to re-use. Allen states, “the next step is up to Kroger.” No, the next step is up to you, Martin Allen. Be a responsible person without the reward of a few pennies and take your own bags to the store.

Why should King Soopers “reward” you to take some personal responsibility for the environment? You should be embarrassed. Stop using plastic straws, stop using plastic grocery bags.

What’s more important? The planet or the pennies in your pocket? Judy Huskey, Sheridan Send letters of 250 words or fewer to openforum@denverpost.com or 5990 Washington St., Denver, CO, 80216. Please include full name, city and phone number. Contact information is for our purposes only; we will not share it with anyone else. You can reach us by telephone at 303-954-1201.