The Walt Disney Company on Thursday became the latest travel
company committing to eliminate plastic straws.
Disney said that by mid-2019 it will eliminate single-use
plastic straws and stirrers at all of its owned and operated locations around
the world, amounting to a reduction of more than 175 million straws and 13
million stirrers annually.
Over the next few years, the company also plans to reduce single-use
plastic items in hotel rooms and in cruise ship staterooms. Disney plans to
reduce the number of plastic shopping bags in its parks and on its cruise
ships, offering guests the option to purchase reusable bags.
Disney said it will work to eliminate polystyrene cups
across its global operations.
Many other travel and hospitality companies have pledged to
reduce or eliminate certain plastics.
Lindblad Expeditions said that the company has successfully
completed a comprehensive single-use plastics elimination program across its
fleet. Lindblad's ships are now 100% free of all single-use plastic bottles,
cups, straws and stirrers.
In 2007, Lindblad banned single-use plastic water bottles
and instead gave guests reusable stainless-steel bottles that could be refilled
at filtered-water stations.
"The next phase in executing a broader reduction in our
plastic packaging requires an industry-wide mandate to our suppliers to explore
sustainable alternatives," stated Lindblad CEO Sven Lindblad.
Starting Jan. 1, G Adventures will give all Galapagos
travelers a complimentary, reusable, stainless steel water bottle that will
replace all plastic bottles.