Strawless lids are showing up more and more on IU campus. Chains like Starbucks and local stores like Bloomington Bagel Company are switching to strawless lids. 

Normal single-use plastic straws can be harmful to wildlife and can easily make it into waterways. Businesses are making the switch to be more environmentally conscious.  

Raven Sherman is the retail manager of Bloomington Bagel company and says they looked into multiple options when they decided to offer an alternative to paper straws. One option was larger rubber straws but they were unable to find a lid that would fit the larger straws. Instead, they went with the straw-less lids that are available at places like Starbucks. 

“It’s just one step closer to changing the environment and the way that we sell our product and the way that we live,” Sherman says. 

Bloomington Bagel Company still offers straws and regular cups for soda, but encourages customers to use the cups that are used for iced coffee with straw-less lids. 

“I think everyone likes the idea that we’ve changed,” Sherman says. And a lot of people use these (straw-less lids) rather than the actual coke cups that we have with the straw. Because I think everyone is just with the movement and wants better, you know, a better environment for everyone. In this community at least.” 

IU sophomore Aurora Lambert says she is ok with using the straw-less lids.

“I like them,” she says. “ I think they are good for the environment, except I don’t really like the fact that I always think it’s going to spill on me whenever I’m drinking out of it.” 

Bloomington resident Annie Lazor says that she appreciates the switch.

“I think it’s fine,” she says. “I think I would probably prefer this over the paper straws. Because the paper straws kind of like you know crumble a little bit. So I prefer this.” 

Paper-straws are a different environmentally friendly alternative to plastic straws. 

The straw-less lids are available at Bloomington Bagel Company, Starbucks and other businesses in the area.