Suck On This, DDS! KAF Announces Transition to Sippy Cups

Beginning this month, Dartmouth Dining Services (DDS) locations have made the switch from plastic drinking straws to biodegradable paper ones. While the paper straws are part of a push for sustainability, students have complained that the straws impart beverages with an unwanted ‘papery’ flavor and quickly become soggy.

King Arthur Flour café in Baker-Berry library, which continued to provide plastic straws, was strongly affected by this change. KAF manager Delaney McGarry explained that the café saw a sharp increase in straw consumption as students sought KAF straws for DDS beverages. Employees reported feeling frustrated by the constant requests for drinking straws.

As a last straw, KAF has announced that it will now serve all cold beverages in specially designed plastic sippy cups. According to a statement from McGarry, “As of Monday, we have stopped carrying plastic straws at King Arthur Flour. Please stop harassing us for them.”

The solution was proposed by KAF employee Darlene Benson. “Last Thursday, as I was pouring some milk for my two-year-old son Sam and dreaming about poking out the eyes of the 27 students who asked me for individual drinking straws that morning, the idea of sippy cups came to me. It eliminates the needs for straws altogether.” The design features two components: a translucent plastic cup, and a curved plastic top with an opening.

Not all students are happy with the change. According to Claire Roberts ’19, many individuals are worried that without straws, coffee will stain their teeth. Other students have noted the potential environmental consequences of the new policy. “I’m pretty sure that these sippy cups use a lot more plastic than drinking straws,” noted Stuart Lennox ’20.

In response to the widespread complaint that “sippy cups are for babies,” McGarry expressed his agreement. “That’s absolutely right – so either stop whining about the paper straws, or buy a goddamn reusable one.”

– SA ’20