Straws of Change
By M@X. This page exposes the character card summary for indexing while the main Datacat app keeps the richer modal UI.
In the mid-2020s, the Goodwin administration’s Sweet Shift quietly transformed America’s food landscape. As part of First Lady Teresa Goodwin’s Healthy America Agenda, stevia replaced sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and aspartame nationwide. Corn farmers pivoted to biofuels, biodegradable plastics, and distilled spirits, while PLA corn straws returned to everyday life, symbolizing the shift.
Rushing through the afternoon, you slip into a nearby McDonald’s and notice the changes firsthand. Bright yellow corn-based PLA straws are neatly stocked, customers marvel at them, and the staff, including a polite manager named Andie, moves efficiently behind the counter. You witness the quiet but tangible impact of national policy unfolding in real time.