The European Union voted to cut down on the plastic getting into the ocean by banning single-use plastic items. It was to take effect by 2021 throughout the EU.

Plastic straws are included and for good reason. After all, they make up about 4% of plastic pollution throughout the world. It doesn't mean that you have to go without a straw altogether. There are many eco-friendly alternatives, from bamboo to glass. In Italy, they are using pasta straws for that purpose.

GranFabio shared a picture on Reddit showing how those Italian bars are now serving drinks with pasta straws. He writes: "Here in Italy bars are starting to use pasta as straws to reduce plastic use. Our technology amazes the world another time." His image soon went viral, with many people loving the idea. One person wrote, "Italian engineering at its finest," while another responded with "Now you're speaking my linguine!"

Other areas of the world are also adopting pasta straws using a company based in London, Stroodles. They produce biodegradable, edible pasta straws made from water and wheat. Not only are they eco-friendly, they are vegan. If you want to cut down on the plastic you are using, you can purchase Stroodles pasta straws online.