San Francisco Bans Straws, Cocktail Swords. Tiki Swizzle sticks included?

San Francisco's Board of Supervisors has voted unanimously to ban not only plastic straws, but also plastic splash sticks, toothpicks, and cocktail sticks, which would have to include those little swords and umbrellas. Tiki Swizzle sticks also?

Reason: San Francisco Bans Straws, Cocktail Swords

Can't help but wonder if this is an opportunity for tiki artisans to step forward with hand-made organic replacements. The garnish has been an important element of tiki cocktails. I expect to see some very creative solutions in the direction that a number of Hukilau bartenders have taken in past years -- half-size bamboo skewers with wooden beads and other cool stuff attached.

I guess that would include ice cubes with lights in them like they have a Trader Sam's at the Disneyland Hotel. (which is in Anaheim so it's safe from the ban for a little while)

On 2018-07-26 18:09, King Bushwich the 33rd wrote:
I guess that would include ice cubes with lights in them like they have a Trader Sam's at the Disneyland Hotel. (which is in Anaheim so it's safe from the ban for a little while)

Then again, not so much:

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2018/07/disney-expands-environmental-commitment-by-reducing-plastic-waste/

Today, we’re sharing another important step in our journey of environmental stewardship. By mid-2019, The Walt Disney Company will eliminate single-use plastic straws and plastic stirrers at all owned and operated locations across the globe, amounting to a reduction of more than 175 million straws and 13 million stirrers annually.

“Eliminating plastic straws and other plastic items are meaningful steps in our long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Bob Chapek, Chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences, and Consumer Products. “These new global efforts help reduce our environmental footprint, and advance our long-term sustainability goals.”

We try and make an island beach atmosphere by putting plastic trinkets in our drinks in our tiki bars and real island beaches like this one in the Dominican Republic are overrun by plastic debris. So trying to control plastic waste might be a good idea and use alternative material for our tiki drinkis

On 2018-07-28 14:02, King Bushwich the 33rd wrote:
We try and make an island beach atmosphere by putting plastic trinkets in our drinks in our tiki bars and real island beaches like this one in the Dominican Republic are overrun by plastic debris. So trying to control plastic waste might be a good idea and use alternative material for our tiki drinkis

Not disagreeing with you but I don't see many straws in that mess :wink: I suspect the LED ice cubes are re-used and would not be included.

Funny thing is right after a storm, hurricane ect... they truck in tons and tons of water in plastic bottles.

Most of the beaches here have a hotel or really high dollar house on them so that kind of mess gets picked up every day.
At times two or even three times a day.

It won't bother me one bit if Disney phases out the glowing ice cubes they offer but don't tell you cost $5 a piece. Nice little surprise on the bill there.

At home, I'm still working through the remainder of our plastic straws (I live on the prairies, so it's not as direct an issue), but I already use bamboo picks and paper umbrellas, so yay. A little environmental consciousness never hurt anybody.

Can there be a loophole by saying that the swizzle sticks are reusable? Wash, rinse, repeat... like all glassware.

Statewide law

Gov. Brown signs California law limiting plastic straws in restaurants

Plastic trash from ocean has reach Rapa Nui (Easter Island)

PBS: Tiny Easter Island deals with giant trash problem

Just came across this tongue-in-cheek read on how jumping on the Plastic Straw Ban-Wagon is functionally useless, and economically untenable, and it reminded me of this thread.

In Memoriam: Saying Goodbye to Metal Straws, 2018’s LiveStrong Bracelet

It made me curious how the bans/restrictions look to actually impact life for those living with them. Could there eventually be enough of a backlash to rescind the new laws?

Restaurants and bars do not wash and reuse straws, plasticware, swizzle sticks or plastic light cubes. It's not sanitary so they get tossed in the trash.
I have well over 1000 swizzle sticks in my collection, but if they are banned I will not shed a tear. From our local So Cal beaches I have picked up and thrown away numerous straws, cocktail swords and even a plastic coconut. While those items make up a small amount of the plastic litter it's still good to reduce their usage.

Royer and other companies makes biodegradable swizzle sticks and personalized wooden stirrers so people will still have something to spear their garnishes with.

I've noticed a lot less plastic bags on our beaches and blowing down the streets since we banned those so it obviously helps.