In an effort to help conserve the environment Disney has just announced today that they will be eliminating plastic straws and other plastics from Walt Disney World by mid-2019. Included in this elimination are the single-use plastic straws and plastic stirrers in parks, resorts and locations not only in Walt Disney World and Disneyland, but around the entire world. This will amount to a savings of more than 175 million straws and 13 million stirrers annually. This has already been the case in Disney’s Animal Kingdom where all straws are made from paper.
But plastic straws stirrers aren’t the only things being eliminated in the Disney parks. They are transitioning to refillable in-room amenities in all hotels, cruise ships and reducing the plastics in those rooms by 80%. Also those plastic bags you bring home all your goodies in from the Disney parks and Disney Cruise ships are going to be reduced, with reusable bags being made available for purchase. Disney is also working hard to eliminate the polystyrene cups used on Disney properties around the world.
“Eliminating plastic straws and other plastic items are meaningful steps in our long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Bob Chapek, Chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences, and Consumer Products. “These new global efforts help reduce our environmental footprint, and advance our long-term sustainability goals.”
Commitment to environmental stewardship goes back over 60 years and the Walt Disney Company takes great pride in taking the environment seriously. The Disney Conservation Fund has dedicated more than $70 million to helping wildlife. Greenhouse emissions by Disney were reduced by 41 percent in 2017 and diverted nearly 50 percent of waste from landfills and incineration in 2017. The company has a future goal of being at zero greenhouse emissions and zero waste.
“Disney has always been inspired by nature – and it is a uniquely powerful brand that inspires, educates, and entertains, all at the same time,” said Dr. M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International. “Today’s announcement is more than about reducing single-use plastic waste, it’s also about showing millions of kids and adults from around the world the many ways we can change our daily habits to care for the oceans and protect nature that sustains us all. It also builds on Disney’s longstanding commitment to conservation and environmental stewardship, a legacy that stretches from the highlands of Peru to the islands of the South Pacific.”
You can more about Disney’s environmental commitment at: www.thewaltdisneycompany.com/environment.
Your Thoughts:
I want to know what you think about Disney eliminating plastic straws and other plastics from the Disney parks…
- Is it a good move?
- What solutions should they offer instead?
Let us know in the comments section below!
If you enjoyed this article, as always I appreciate it if you’d share it with others via social media. I work hard at making this website into a useful resource for you and your family to plan your visit to the Disney Parks and I hope it can help you! Thanks 🙂
News Source: Disney Parks Blog
My name is Ziggy and I love Disney, everything Disney! I grew up on Disney and it has and continues to be a huge part of my life. I started young when my parents took me to Disney World when I was 18 months old. Little did they know that would be the first of an uncountable number of trips we would take. I have so many amazing memories going to Disney with my family and friends and it has been interwoven into my DNA.