9A- Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2

Interview #1: Female, 20 years old

She thinks one business that might not use the product is mom-and-pop restaurants. She thinks they are just so small and won’t have the expenses to seek out an alternative product for the plastic straws they already use, especially if they are more expensive. She thinks the need for a different type of straw is unique, but similar to the need for us to stop using so much plastic in general. She thinks these small restaurants still have the need, but just probably won’t act on using the solution I came up with because it will probably be too expensive.

Interview #2: Female, 22 years old

She thinks a lot of dive bars will fall out of the boundary because they are so small and may not be worrying about this social movement to find an alternative to the straws they already use. She says how she goes to a lot of bars like this and they haven’t tried to minimize their use of straws since the movement started and doesn’t think they’ll do much about it in the future. She also mentioned how there needs to be better alternatives to the plastic cups bars use, or they need to start recycling. The dive bars have the need, but she just thinks they won’t do anything about it.

Interview #3: Male, 21 years old

He thinks people have been over-worrying about this movement and that there are much bigger things to worry about and effort to put into that will have a higher impact than changing materials for straws. He thinks many people who buy straws in the store to have at home won’t purchase an alternative option at the grocery store if they are more expensive, which he is expecting my idea to be. He thinks this need is very similar to others that also effect our oceans negatively. He thinks people need to recycle more and protect our beaches in other ways too. He thinks the people he mentioned have the need technically for the alternative straw, he just won’t think they will buy them if they are significantly more expensive.

Interview #4: Male, 22 years old

He wasn’t really sure who wouldn’t want to use an alternative to plastic straws because it helps the environment, but just said he guesses anyone who doesn’t care enough to look into an alternative. He thinks this is very similar to the need for people who use Styrofoam to find an alternative because it is also very back for our environment if its not disposed of properly. He doesn’t think anyone is without this need, it’s just about whether they are willing to look for an alternative or not.

Interview #5: Female, 21 years old

She thinks everyone needs an alternative to plastic straws but the people who won’t use the alternative I came up with are those who are just ignorant to how much of an effect it has on our environment and therefore won’t look for or use an alternative. She thinks this could be restaurant owners, bar owners, or just individuals. This need is relative, but different to people needing to stop using plastic cups/silverware, etc. but its different because those items can be recycled while a lot of straws cannot. She wishes everyone would use an alternative to plastic straws but doesn’t think it’s feasible.

Summary:

Overall, I still think I have a great idea that could work and help our environment greatly even if every restaurant and individual doesn’t use my alternative straws. It will still cut down on so much plastic found in our oceans that never biodegrades and can’t be recycled. Learning from my interviews, it sounds like everyone could use my alternative straws its just a matter of who will actually put in the money and effort into making the switch from plastic straws to my alternative.