President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week to end the federal procurement of paper straws.
The order, which claims that paper straws are “nonfunctional” and says it wants to end the “forced use” of them, immediately undoes part of a Biden-era initiative to eliminate single-use plastics, including straws, in all government operations by 2035. More broadly, Trump instructed White House staff and “relevant agencies” to issue a “national strategy to end the use of paper straws” within 45 days. The strategy would aim to eliminate all executive branch policies “designed to disfavor plastic straws” and address the federal government’s contracts with states and and other entities “that ban or penalize plastic straw purchase or use.”
This is somewhat secondary to me, as I don’t mind having a smaller drink (straight whiskey over a mixed drink) or paying more for more drink, but I do assume this is the reason why many places like fast food joints that normally had a help yourself beverage station are putting them behind the counter more often these days, to make getting a refill less convenient or unavailable.