Disney to eliminate plastic straws, hotel in-room plastics and plastic shopping bags

[LSUmiss]

Wow, 16 pages of discussion started by straws. Multiple thoughts:

- I'm hearing this straw-thing from numerous directions these days. I agree that it's trend-of-the-moment and not anything that's going to make a big difference in the world.
- If we were serious about doing away with something really bad, we'd eliminate styrofoam cups, plates, and take-out trays. Styrofoam will still be in a landfill when your grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren have grandchildren. These items are physically larger than straws, and they seem to be a poor trade-off for a moment of convenience.
- For most of us (skipping over the sensitive teeth people), we don't really care whether we have a straw at the table ... but a straw cup allows us an easy way to tote a drink around the park. If we aren't carrying our left-over-from-lunch drink, we're more likely to buy another drink. Do you think this has escaped Disney's eye?
- Paper straws are not as "nice" as plastic straws, but they do provide a reasonable substitute.
- I would never bother to bring my own straws.
- I don't care about plastic bags in stores; I never buy souvenirs anyway and am actually dumbfounded by the concept that you need to buy something to remember your vacation. I do suspect Disney is interested in upping their profits by selling reusable bags; as you use these bags at the grocery store back home, these bags become additional advertising for them.
- I'm not crazy about the idea of refillable toiletries in Disney hotels (yes, I'm familiar with the tank-on-the-shower-wall concept). I'm careful about hotel items. I know a guy who -- back in college -- urinated in hotel ice machines, so I never use the scoop-it-yourself ice machines. He's now a high school principal. Can you think of any body fluid people might add to the shampoo /conditioner tub? I'd rather skip hotel-provided toiletries altogether. I prefer to bring my own.

I think you sum up my point of it all. It’s the hypocrisy of it all that just bugs me that made me want to engage in this thread. It’s the new feel good measure. It does very little, most ppl “sacrificing” didn’t care about using them in the first place, and most likely most ppl so proud of themselves for their devotion to the no straw movement use things like styrofoam that are more harmful.

 

[georgina]

I don't remember very many people being all up in arms about the pollution caused by straws until the last few weeks. I guess it's the cool thing to be bothered by now.

I, personally, can take them or leave them, but I do hate the paper ones.

My DH is a diver so we have been aware of the plastic straw issue for a while. I think more attention came about when the UK banned them last month.

And Disney also announced that they are dropping polystyrene cups.

 

[PollyannaMom]

so this change is doing very little

Baby steps, baby steps.

I get that eliminating plastic straws isn't going to make as big a dent in the landfills as say, Styrofoam, but it's a good place to start because it has some benefit far in the future, but also an immediate benefit to the health of animals. - Post pictures of cute critters they're saving, and people are willing to accept a little inconvenience!

And we are working on the Styrofoam bit slowly as well. Anyone remember these? -

McDonald's got rid of them years ago, and I bet there were a lot of complaints at first, but somehow we all managed to adjust.

"Just because we can't get there all at once, doesn't mean we shouldn't start."

 

[NHdisneylover]

Growing up I didn't use a straw but also didn't use ice either.
Yes the straw does tend to heat up the drink as it passes though the straw where my lips are pressed to the straw. I don't want the ice to touch my lips either. Again I don't like cold so why would I want it touching any part of me? You really don't have to understand it. You can just accept that people are different and that is that.

No, I do not have to understand it--but his is a discussion board and I found it interesting as i had not ever heard of straws and ice being a linked idea before and I was curious as to why. It's as valid of a thing to discuss as anything else---if people don't want to answer, they do not have to. Of course I "accept" that some people find drinking through a straw to be far better than not, I never said otherwise.
I don't quite accept that Disney, or any other business for that matter, must provide straws with beverages in order to acomidate those who need/want them. That in no way means I do not feel there are legitimate reasons for wanting/needing straws--- I just don't think that means it is the job of others to provide them (whether the bussiness choses not to for financial or enviormental reasons or some combination of both).

Think about when you use a straw...the beverage does not touch the front of your teeth. Of course a straw does not "warm" a beverage and I'm sure almost all ppl. are able to sip a beverage a accurately. Maybe ppl. who never use a straw aren't able to understand how it works, but if you try it once it'll make sense - it prevents the beverage from touching your front teeth - that's how it helps those with teeth sensitivity.

Thanks----so again that goes back to the beverage being really cold, not really the presence of ice per se. of course, normally iced beverages are coldest, but sometime the liquid is so warm that the ice doesn't even cool it down much as it melts and sometimes non iced drinks are super cold----back when we went to WDW often the coldest drinks in the parks were normally the bottled ones at AK, kept buried in ice until sold but no ice actually in the drink.

The PP said in the absence of a straw she would choose to buy a bottle, and that’s what I was responding to. I have no idea how that individual feels about other straw options and what her preference would be then, because that’s not the scenario she was presenting in her comment.

It’s hard to read tone in print. I apologize if I misread yours. To me it appeared that you were insinuating that it wasn’t possible that a straw could provide any benefit & that ppl just didn’t know how to drink from a glass properly. I found that insulting. I apologize if you were just really trying to understand it.

thanks. I seriously was just curious.

 

[Wubar]

Baby steps, baby steps.

I get that eliminating plastic straws isn't going to make as big a dent in the landfills as say, Styrofoam, but it's a good place to start because it has some benefit far in the future, but also an immediate benefit to the health of animals. - Post pictures of cute critters they're saving, and people are willing to accept a little inconvenience!

And we are working on the Styrofoam bit slowly as well. Anyone remember these? -

McDonald's got rid of them years ago, and I bet there were a lot of complaints at first, but somehow we all managed to adjust.

"Just because we can't get there all at once, doesn't mean we shouldn't start."

Small steps for sure, have to at least start moving in that direction for any change to happen, whether results are measurable in 2 years, 10 years, or 50 years.

I'm sure people who are all of a sudden totally health conscious and only eat organic this and that with non-GMO ingredients are all proud of themselves without realizing the cumulative effect in their bodies from all the junk they already ingested before this latest health movement. Similar rationale.

 

[maxiesmom]

I think you sum up my point of it all. It’s the hypocrisy of it all that just bugs me that made me want to engage in this thread. It’s the new feel good measure. It does very little, most ppl “sacrificing” didn’t care about using them in the first place, and most likely most ppl so proud of themselves for their devotion to the no straw movement use things like styrofoam that are more harmful.

I'd rather they use styrofoam and no straws than styrofoam and straws. All of us doing a little is better than all of us doing nothing.

 

[sunshinehighway]

I'd rather they use styrofoam and no straws than styrofoam and straws. All of us doing a little is better than all of us doing nothing.

Of course it is. The whole argument that you have to work or act to solve all problems at once or you're just being a hypocrite is silly. It's just a way to dismiss something you don't agree with but don't want to say you don't agree with. Think about it, how would it sound if you said "having a plastic straw is more important to me than the environmental concerns plastic like straws contribute to" or " I don't believe in climate change"?

 

[LSUmiss]

Of course it is. The whole argument that you have to work or act to solve all problems at once or you're just being a hypocrite is silly. It's just a way to dismiss something you don't agree with but don't want to say you don't agree with. Think about it, how would it sound if you said "having a plastic straw is more important to me than the environmental concerns plastic like straws contribute to" or " I don't believe in climate change"?

I’m not afraid to say I don’t agree with it. I don’t have anything to hide. I think it’s silly & is just the latest feel good fad. I think ppl who say it’s better than nothing want to feel good about doing barely anything. And what I said was hypocritical was calling ppl who want to still use a straw selfish while continuing to vacation in a place that uses many many resources for the sheer entertainment of their guests

 

[kdonnel]

I'd rather they use styrofoam and no straws than styrofoam and straws. All of us doing a little is better than all of us doing nothing.

This is where recycling gets complicated and the average person has no idea how to or what to recycle. People in the '90s were much better educated, before single stream recycling was invented.

Everyone calls it styrofoam but NONE of the cups, coolers, or take out containers we call styrofoam are actually styrofoam.

Styrofoam is a brand name owned by Dow that is an extruded foam (XPS) product used in building materials.

What we call Styrofoam is really expanded polystyrene (EPS).

It is recyclable but not in a closed loop, in other words recycled EPS is not turned into EPS again. As a result it is not very valuable on the recycled market.

And then there is this:
For paper, it takes 33 grams (g) of wood, 4g’s of fuel (oil or gas), and 1.8g of non-recycled chemicals to make a single 10.1g cup. Polystyrene uses 1/6th of all the total production elements of paper cups and only 3% of the chemical ingredients.

So if we started recycling EPS cups, they are actually much better for the environment then a paper cup. The coatings put on a paper cup to make it hold a liquid make it virtually impossible to recycle.

It's complicated!

 

[EveDallas]

I’m not afraid to say I don’t agree with it. I don’t have anything to hide. I think it’s silly & is just the latest feel good fad. I think ppl who say it’s better than nothing want to feel good about doing barely anything. And what I said was hypocritical was calling ppl who want to still use a straw selfish while continuing to vacation in a place that uses many many resources for the sheer entertainment of their guests

Exactly. It's nothing but a way for Disney and others to say "look how environmentally friendly we are" while saving money and not actually doing anything that might hurt the bottom line.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Styrofoam is a brand name owned by Dow that is an extruded foam (XPS) product used in building materials.

What we call Styrofoam is really expanded polystyrene (EPS).

I knew it was a brand name, but thought it was all the same stuff (kind of like calling tissues "Kleenex").

It is recyclable but not in a closed loop, in other words recycled EPS is not turned into EPS again. As a result it is not very valuable on the recycled market.

What do they turn it into?

 

[kdonnel]

I knew it was a brand name, but thought it was all the same stuff (kind of like calling tissues "Kleenex").



What do they turn it into?

One of the products is the material used in airliner interiors.

You know the plastic decking that is so popular right now?

It is also used as an aggregate in concrete instead of stone.

Clothes hangers, picture frames, etc.

It has lots of purposes.

 

[GreatLakes]

Banning plastic straws is important not merely because they are plastic but because in their form they are especially dangerous to wildlife. The fact they are not the biggest contributor to the plastic problem just doesn't matter, their form factor makes them worse to wildlife than many larger forms of plastic. It is extremely effective and a very positive move.

It is also easy to do and most positive movement starts with what is easy, not with the hardest changes.

Until this thread I didn't realize how hard it is for high functioning adults to drink liquids without a straw. Even liquids with ice are pretty easy. I don't think I have ever bought a straw myself and I specifically ask for no straw when I'm out. Apparently it is a unique skill. Maybe I'll add it to my resume.

 

[LSUmiss]

Banning plastic straws is important not merely because they are plastic but because in their form they are especially dangerous to wildlife. The fact they are not the biggest contributor to the plastic problem just doesn't matter, their form factor makes them worse to wildlife than many larger forms of plastic. It is extremely effective and a very positive move.

It is also easy to do and most positive movement starts with what is easy, not with the hardest changes.

Until this thread I didn't realize how hard it is for high functioning adults to drink liquids without a straw. Even liquids with ice are pretty easy. I don't think I have ever bought a straw myself and I specifically ask for no straw when I'm out. Apparently it is a unique skill. Maybe I'll add it to my resume.

It’s not a unique skill. You apparently are lucky enough to not have tooth sensitivity. Good for you.

 

[CarolAnn856]

Exactly. It's nothing but a way for Disney and others to say "look how environmentally friendly we are" while saving money and not actually doing anything that might hurt the bottom line.

But, it DOES help the environment. Just because it might save Disney some money in the long run does nothing to lessen the benefit, even if it's a small step.

 

[Wendy31]

Banning plastic straws is important not merely because they are plastic but because in their form they are especially dangerous to wildlife. The fact they are not the biggest contributor to the plastic problem just doesn't matter, their form factor makes them worse to wildlife than many larger forms of plastic. It is extremely effective and a very positive move.

It is also easy to do and most positive movement starts with what is easy, not with the hardest changes.

Until this thread I didn't realize how hard it is for high functioning adults to drink liquids without a straw. Even liquids with ice are pretty easy. I don't think I have ever bought a straw myself and I specifically ask for no straw when I'm out. Apparently it is a unique skill. Maybe I'll add it to my resume.

Right.

It's not just that the straws are made out of plastic... it's how dangerous they are to wildlife in their plastic form.

Like the plastic rings that connect 6 packs of drinks - those are extremely dangerous to wildlife as well.

And, in the ocean, a floating plastic bag looks like a jellyfish to a sea turtle.

 

[jo-jo]

It makes me wonder how many people laughed at their parents/grandparents for reusing ziplock bags, saving paper bags, washing aluminum foil, etc?

Now we are buying reusable straws.

 

[luvsJack]

Banning plastic straws is important not merely because they are plastic but because in their form they are especially dangerous to wildlife. The fact they are not the biggest contributor to the plastic problem just doesn't matter, their form factor makes them worse to wildlife than many larger forms of plastic. It is extremely effective and a very positive move.

It is also easy to do and most positive movement starts with what is easy, not with the hardest changes.

Until this thread I didn't realize how hard it is for high functioning adults to drink liquids without a straw. Even liquids with ice are pretty easy. I don't think I have ever bought a straw myself and I specifically ask for no straw when I'm out. Apparently it is a unique skill. Maybe I'll add it to my resume.

Did anyone ever actually say it was hard? No.

Several have mentioned having sensitive teeth. If your front teeth are sensitive, not having a straw and drinking liquid with ice in it can be really painful.

I think some mentioned walking around the park with a drink with no lid and no straw. Again drinking without a straw is not hard but while walking it could be messy.

No reason to be snarky about it. These are legitimate concerns.

 

[bcla]

Baby steps, baby steps.

I get that eliminating plastic straws isn't going to make as big a dent in the landfills as say, Styrofoam, but it's a good place to start because it has some benefit far in the future, but also an immediate benefit to the health of animals. - Post pictures of cute critters they're saving, and people are willing to accept a little inconvenience!

And we are working on the Styrofoam bit slowly as well. Anyone remember these? -

McDonald's got rid of them years ago, and I bet there were a lot of complaints at first, but somehow we all managed to adjust.

"Just because we can't get there all at once, doesn't mean we shouldn't start."

I remember the first place to ban them - which was Berkeley, California. They weren't the first to pass a law banning one, but was the first where the law went into effect. McDonald's even went ahead with paper packaging just for that one market with two locations.

http://articles.latimes.com/1988-06-16/news/mn-6881_1_foam-food-containers

The even had a special one for the McDLT, which had special packaging to try and keep the veggies from getting wilted from the heat of the burger.

I remember they had a special cardboard version of this package.

 

[underdesea]

It’s not a unique skill. You apparently are lucky enough to not have tooth sensitivity. Good for you.[/QUOTE

OK, I'll jump in. I do have tooth sensitivity. I prefer straws. I also love marine life. I'm willing to make adjustments to help the marine life. I personally think marine life outweighs my straw preference. Plus I love me a beer in the parks, which has always been served sans lid or straw. I've coped. Even happily. But if I couldn't, I'd bring an alternative. I'm good with that If it saves a turtle or a fish. It's not all about me and my teeth.