Disney to eliminate plastic straws from owned theme parks

This doesn't bother me, really. I don't really like the paper straws, because they do something funky to whatever goes through them, but I prefer to drink out of a cup or glass without one anyway.

I just wonder what they're going to use to distinguish the alcoholic drinks. I know they use white cups vs. clear cups at the quick service locations, but they still generally throw a couple of stir sticks or a straw in.

Aren't some of the alcoholic beverages being served in those corn-based cups, or are they actually recyclable plastic? I know they sort their garbage, so I worry less about the cups, but I don't think straws are recoverable or recyclable.

From everything I've read recently. (straws are a hot topic right now, apparently,) no, straws are not recyclable.

And as a Fun Card holder at SWO, did you know that by the year 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish?

I'm by no means a tree hugging hippie, but I do what I can, and plastic is kinda scary from an environmental standpoint.

They've switched to paper straws on the cruise line as well and eliminated the plastic lids.

Every little bit helps, but this is one of those things that we can feel good about without having to actually change the way we live and without really making a difference.

Starbucks is phasing out plastic straws, too.

Brian Noble said:

Every little bit helps, but this is one of those things that we can feel good about without having to actually change the way we live and without really making a difference.

Without making a difference? Perhaps you just typed your thoughts incorrectly, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

But if you really do think it doesn't help, go ahead and look up "Sea turtle straw" on google, and tell me that changing straws won't make a difference. I won't post the link here because it's quite unpleasant.

(Look at me! I'm getting worked up over an internet video! Normally I make fun of people like myself.)

Perhaps maybe he meant it won't make a difference to the user. That fits with the context of the rest of his post.

What percentage of the plastics in the oceans/landfills is straws?

In some article I have read today that Disney goes thru 175 Million Straws a year. That is quite an amount. It will not save the World, but it can not hurt either

That's pretty important context. McDonald's is doing the same thing over the next year, which makes it even more significant.

I have also read that the US uses 500 million straws per day. So Disney goes through about 8 hours of straws in its entire operating year.

You should see the reaction on the Disney Facebook groups. You have these people going out and stocking up on boxes of straws so they can carry them in their backpacks with them.

I don't get it - there is so much outrage, you'd think they discontinued Dole whip or Churros or Mickey Pretzels. If them switching out plastic straws is such a travesty, perhaps you need a different hobby.

Disney Facebook groups are filled with idiots. Come to think of it, all Facebook groups are filled with idiots.

I can hear people in treasury at McDonalds, Starbucks and Disney saying "So you mean to tell me we get the marketing benefit of going "green" and reduce our costs at the same time?"

Oh, the Disney groups are *so* bad. Questions that can be easily Googled, people acting like they know what they're talking about and blab with authority - "Splash Mountain doesn't splash anymore because people were slipping on the bridge and somebody sued" - no, it's called "winter" and the splash is toned down due to it being colder.

The worst is how classless a lot of them can be and if you have a differing opinion, they start hurling insults, and the claws come out like it's an episode of Jerry Springer. It's so much worse than anything I've ever seen from the coaster community, even RRC (save for a few, select individuals in the early 2000's).

Unless Facebook has changed since I briefly had an account 7 or so years ago (and given how the world has gone since, it seems doubtful), Facebook is full of idiots. No need to look into Disney Facebook groups (or even Facebook groups).

It's true, but at least they filter out your feed for you now. You actually have to pay attention through the ads and the spam.

GoBucks89 said:

Facebook is full of idiots.

All 2.23 billion of them.