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

[mnrose]

They're looking to reduce plastic bags in parks -- not eliminate: "Plans also call for Disney to reduce the number of plastic shopping bags in owned and operated parks and on Disney cruise line, offering guests the option to purchase reusable bags at a nominal price."

I have no intention of carrying around reusable bags on my vacation. It's not practical particularly with resort pickup and the like.

And I'll just mention this... perspective is important when we evaluate the actual anticipated impact of any of these moves (US is at 1.3% of the total):

https://www.statista.com/chart/12211/the-countries-polluting-the-oceans-the-most/

View attachment 339726

That's MISMANAGED plastic waste, which is very different than "plastic" waste. We bury a lot of ours and call it "managed." Or, we "recycle" it and ship it to China and call it "managed." It's not. It lasts nearly forever. We should all work to drastically reduce our "single" use plastic containers. The US produces .33 kg per day per person of plastic waste. China produces about 1/3 as much, .12 kg per day per person. Now, they have a LOT more people, so the total per day per by country is equal to or exceeds ours, but we still produce more per day per person. We can do better.

I long ago gave up plastic bottles of water. So, so wasteful.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I'm glad to see our country is low on that particular chart, but I do think every little bit helps! Plus, even though we're smaller, we are kind of a trendsetter in terms of social things (music, fashion...) and many people from other countries visit Disney, so we shouldn't discount the impact of setting a good example either.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I long ago gave up plastic bottles of water. So, so wasteful.

Realistically this is about balance and making things as convenient as possible. It just is. I will not wash and reuse a metal straw. I will buy plastic bottles when I'm vacationing in a theme park. I will ALWAYS recycle those bottles if they have appropriate disposal for them. At home, where they've made recycling convenient, we absolutely do it.

Balance and convenience is how you get compliance. Zealotry doesn't convince the masses, and I think there's some of that at work on topics like this. I mean, Santa Barbara even considering 6mos in JAIL and $1000 fine as possible penalty for selling plastic straws?? That is going to turn people AGAINST this movement.

https://people.com/food/santa-barbara-plastic-straw-ban-bill-jail-time/

 

[NHdisneylover]

During my childhood 40 years ago beverage containers were all made out of glass. There was a “deposit” charged on them which was refunded when they were returned to a facility. They were sterilized and refilled probably countless times over. At the end of its useful life as a container glass can be repurposed or recycled. Why couldn’t that still work today?

It still does work today. Typical in Germany to buy beer in glass bottles, by the case. Both the plastic case holder and bottles have a deposit on them and are reused countless times. Same with many juices and sodas which might be in reusable thick plastics is glass . The thinner plastics also have a deposit and are crushed and recycled though I try to stick with buying drinks which come in reusable bottles as that is less environmental impact

 

[Jennasis]

You will also probably see an increase in various themed Disney mugs and reusable sports bottles for sale around the park.

 

[NHdisneylover]

They're looking to reduce plastic bags in parks -- not eliminate: "Plans also call for Disney to reduce the number of plastic shopping bags in owned and operated parks and on Disney cruise line, offering guests the option to purchase reusable bags at a nominal price."

I have no intention of carrying around reusable bags on my vacation. It's not practical particularly with resort pickup and the like.

And I'll just mention this... perspective is important when we evaluate the actual anticipated impact of any of these moves (US is at 1.3% of the total):

https://www.statista.com/chart/12211/the-countries-polluting-the-oceans-the-most/

View attachment 339726

And how much plastic do we dump in inland landfills? How does that compare?

 

[amcnj]

During my childhood 40 years ago beverage containers were all made out of glass. There was a “deposit” charged on them which was refunded when they were returned to a facility. They were sterilized and refilled probably countless times over. At the end of its useful life as a container glass can be repurposed or recycled. Why couldn’t that still work today?

I was just going to make a similar comment, that I am old enough to recall when straws were paper, beverages came in glass bottles, ice cream spoons and coffee stirrers were wooden and bags were made out of paper. As kids we used to hunt down discarded beverage bottles to turn them into stores for cash. I think the small soda bottles were worth 2 cents, the larger a nickel, and the holy grail milk bottles 25 cents!

 

[GrnMtnMan]

During my childhood 40 years ago beverage containers were all made out of glass. There was a “deposit” charged on them which was refunded when they were returned to a facility. They were sterilized and refilled probably countless times over. At the end of its useful life as a container glass can be repurposed or recycled. Why couldn’t that still work today?

We had a milkman in the mid/late 70s in my youth. Milk and OJ were delivered twice a week in these:

When they were empty, we put them outside and the delivery person took them back.

 

[monica9]

I love the paper straws at AK and AKL. I'm fascinated with them and love to bite them. Weird, I know.

 

[Hikergirl]

During my childhood 40 years ago beverage containers were all made out of glass. There was a “deposit” charged on them which was refunded when they were returned to a facility. They were sterilized and refilled probably countless times over. At the end of its useful life as a container glass can be repurposed or recycled. Why couldn’t that still work today?

We have deposits on our plastic bottles (carbonated, beer, and water) to encourage recycling but it isn't a nationwide thing so some states don't.
I wonder if the reason we don't go back to glass (there was a time when plastic bottles were rare) is that the manufacturing process, and maybe even the recycling of glass requires more use of fossil fuels than plastic does. Which we of course are trying to reduce the use of.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

They're also going to have to strongly consider refillable mugs for use in the parks as another possible alternative.

They could also provide a reusable bag in your resort room upon check in and you just pay the $5 it's worth if you decide to take the bag home with you.

Everyone is different, but I have to tell you that there is zero chance that I would carry around 4 reusable mugs throughout WDW. Ditto for the reusable bag. I'd buy less stuff before I'd do that. Or I'd order it online while standing in the store -- which I've done -- and they can ship it to me using tons of cardboard.

All about balance and keeping things convenient...

 

[kdonnel]

And how much plastic do we dump in inland landfills? How does that compare?

For many types of plastic it is actually better for the environment and energy consumption to toss the plastic in the landfill. The process to recycle uses more energy then producing new and is actually more damaging to the environment then producing new. Short of reducing or reusing, tossing makes more sense.

 

[mumto3girls]

Me too. I don't understand the hysteria around the glasses in the room. Yes, I've seen the reports. I wash them, with a bit of soap and hot water, and then I use them. No big deal at all. Just as clean as the ones in my house. Shrug. But, I live on the edge everywhere. I actually PREFER the large "in shower" dispensers to those little bottles. Much easier and far less waste all around. And (gasp) I've purchased and used "second hand" mattresses. I'm a rebel that's for sure.

I was getting ready to “like” your post but you lost me on the mattress. LOL. Now that skeeves me out. And yes, I do realize that doesn’t make much sense since I stay in hotels, but I would worry about what I was taking home with me, how old it was, etc.

 

[kdonnel]

We have deposits on our plastic bottles (carbonated, beer, and water) to encourage recycling but it isn't a nationwide thing so some states don't.
I wonder if the reason we don't go back to glass (there was a time when plastic bottles were rare) is that the manufacturing process, and maybe even the recycling of glass requires more use of fossil fuels than plastic does. Which we of course are trying to reduce the use of.

Recycling glass is a very energy efficient process. The act of recycling glass uses much less energy then producing new glass. Yet many communities are stopping curb side recycling of glass. The single stream method of recycling that has become popular actually cause a much higher percentage of recyclables from each batch to be sent to the landfill. Most people don't recycle properly at all. They toss items in the bin that cause tons of potentially recyclable material to just be chunked in the landfill because it is too labor intensive to sort or the post processors will not buy batches that contain more then a few percent of contaminants by weight so the sorters are aggressive in sending stuff to the landfill. Glass is being dropped because when in a single stream path it presents a significant danger.

Different types of plastic are more easily recycled then others. The best types are more or less energy and environmentally neutral when compared to making new. The worst types (the ones used most often) take much more energy and have a much worse impact on the environment to recycle then produce new.

 

[momto2girls]

I don't have a problem paying a nominal fee for a bag, but I see those plastic-y reusable bags to be impractical. I always just end up using them as trash bags and throwing them away the same as I would a regular plastic bag.

 

[mnrose]

I was getting ready to “like” your post but you lost me on the mattress. LOL. Now that skeeves me out. And yes, I do realize that doesn’t make much sense since I stay in hotels, but I would worry about what I was taking home with me, how old it was, etc.

Yes, I get how it can skeeve people out. But, I make sure that it's a "clean" mattress, and even then, it gets encased in a protective mattress cover (the zip around kind), plus a mattress pad. It's better than anything offered by hotels. LOL.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I was getting ready to “like” your post but you lost me on the mattress. LOL. Now that skeeves me out. And yes, I do realize that doesn’t make much sense since I stay in hotels, but I would worry about what I was taking home with me, how old it was, etc.

You have reason to be skeeved out by that. Among other things you can bring bed bugs into the house that way. Not worth it.

 

[kdonnel]

And I'll just mention this... perspective is important when we evaluate the actual anticipated impact of any of these moves (US is at 1.3% of the total):

https://www.statista.com/chart/12211/the-countries-polluting-the-oceans-the-most/

View attachment 339726

But.....

What this chart does not show or explain is that China used to import as much as 42% of the world's recycled plastic. A lot of what the US, Canada, Germany, France, the UK, etc.. throws in their recycle bin makes up that long bar in China.

Now that China has decided to clean up their environmental policies and banned 24 types of solid waste from import the rest of the world really needs to ramp up the reduce and reuse part of the mantra.

Or hope that another developing country decides the horrible environmental impact of recycling is worth the money.

 

[mumto3girls]

You have reason to be skeeved out by that. Among other things you can bring bed bugs into the house that way. Not worth it.

Yes, but I also think that is a risk of staying in hotels. I almost always worry about taking bed bugs home with me—even Disney.

 

[LSUmiss]

During my childhood 40 years ago beverage containers were all made out of glass. There was a “deposit” charged on them which was refunded when they were returned to a facility. They were sterilized and refilled probably countless times over. At the end of its useful life as a container glass can be repurposed or recycled. Why couldn’t that still work today?

I’m not sure, but I remember when containers were made of glass & to me the beverage tasted so much better. I hate plastic bottles!