Hot straw.

• Position: COLORADO COOL STUFF

Dawn Miracle was working in Parkinson's disease research last year and found that straws were perfect for patients with neurological disorders. Then she learned drinking hot coffee or tea with a straw had a serious downside.

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"Normal straws leach chemicals into hot liquids," says Miracle. "Nothing existed, so I invented the Hot Straw. It's free of harmful chemicals."

Soon she learned that the straws made it easier to drink coffee without staining teeth, and started selling the product in coffee shops and dental offices. Today it's a full-time job for Miracle, who uses Colorado-based...