Drinking straw

A drinking straw (or "straw") is a utensil used to consume cold drinks such as milk shakes, smoothies, cola, and fruit juice. Drinking straws are usually made from plastic that is formed into a tube. To use a drinking straw, a person places the straw in a glass that contains a liquid and then sucks the straw with their mouth. Straws are mainly plastic, but some straws are paper or cardboard to protect the environment.

Using a drinking straw

The oldest straw found is over 5000 years old. Straws have been found in Sumerian temples made of gold and lapis lazuli. The straws popularity came in the 1800s during the industrial revolution. Those straws were made of paper and turned to mush quickly. An inventor named Joseph Friedman invented a straw made of paper coated in glue so that it did not dissolve.