在環保成為顯學的年代，說自己喜歡用塑膠吸管大概會被朋友千刀萬剮，害我一直不敢承認這件事。我也不是沒想過去習慣用不鏽鋼吸管，然而在試用過後，卻發現不鏽鋼吸管畢竟不像塑膠一樣能咬在嘴裡，而且堅硬冷冰的金屬質感，也根本無法與柔軟具彈性的塑膠相比。直至到最近發現了這個由中川政七商店推出的「紙吸管」後，我才彷彿看到了贖罪的機會。
曾入選為日本LOHAS DESIGN大賞第三回提名名單，一盒三十根的中川政七商店「紙吸管」，其以樸實的棕色再造紙包裝，在顧及到包裝本身的減碳之餘，也使包裝與內容物的素材統一、營造出使人安心的氛圍。而之所以能夠以紙張做成吸管，秘密在於紙張經過蠟塗層處理，其提供一定耐水性之餘，燃燒起來沒有毒氣、紙張本身也可以完全被分解，飲料喝起來自然也特別放心。
仔細想一想，喝一杯飲料再了不起也不過半小時，塑膠吸管卻要用上幾十幾百年才能被分解，一點都划不來。所以如果你跟我一樣，難以接受不鏽鋼吸管的話，那麼中川政七商店的「紙吸管」，或許就是你我將功贖罪、積功德的大好機會。
MIDWAY shop
香港深水埗基隆街132號B地下一樓
At an age when environmental protection has entered the mainstream, you will probably be heavily criticized for confessing your love for using plastic straws. For this reason, I have never dared to admit this. It is not that I have never thought about getting myself accustomed to using stainless steel straws. However, after trying those, I have found that you cannot bite and chew on them after all, unlike their plastic counterparts. What is more, metal, which is hard and icy to the touch, can hardly compare to the soft and elastic texture of plastic. It was not until recently, when I discovered the “paper straws” made by Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten, that I had spotted a possible chance to redeem my sins.
Having been nominated for the Third LOHAS DESIGN Award in Japan, this package of thirty “paper straws” from Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten’s is made of recycled paper in the down-to-earth color of brown, taking into consideration not only the reduction of carbon emission, but also the unity of the package and its content so as to create a sense of harmony and comfort. The use of paper to make straws is made possible by the process of wax coating, which provides it a certain degree of water resistance. In addition, the product does not release toxic gas when burnt, and the paper itself is also fully biodegradable. Armed with this straw, you can drink with peace of mind.
If you come to think of it more carefully, it only takes you at most half an hour to finish a drink, but it will take decades or hundreds of years for a plastic straw to biodegrade. It just does not add up at all. If you, like me, cannot bring yourself to make do with stainless steel straws, then perhaps Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten’s paper straws will present a great opportunity for you to redeem your sins by good deeds.
MIDWAY shop
G/F, 132B Ki Lung Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong
