Disney recently announced that it will eliminate plastic straws in all of its theme parks by mid-2019, joining other major companies like Starbucks, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Marriott Hotels, and American Airlines and the city of Seattle.
They haven’t yet announced what will replace them, but maybe they’ll go with a sippy-cup type lid like Starbucks, or perhaps more likely, paper straws like those already in use at Animal Kingdom. I applaud Disney’s decision, but I’m not a huge fan of paper straws. They soften too quickly and aren’t very pleasant to drink from. If that’s the route they go, I’ll probably just skip the lid and straw altogether.
That isn’t an option for some people. On the internet and social media, people with disabilities are speaking out about how these bans negatively affect them. A flexible plastic straw can be a necessity to a person who cannot lift a cup to their mouth on their own. A former student at my school, Madison Lawson, just wrote a great op-ed piece about this for Teen Vogue. Starbucks (and the city of Seattle) have revised their policies to provide plastic straws upon request for people with disabilities.
The lack of consideration about how these straw bans would affect the disabled isn’t the only controversy surrounding the issue (Don’t get me started about the Ziploc Bag sponsorship of Splash Mountain!) There are those that would suggest that pollution from straws is such a small part of the problem that we are expending a lot of energy focusing on the wrong villain.
So while a straw ban alone will not save the oceans, it might lead to a positive spillover effect. It’s a simple thing that people can do and feel like they, as part of a larger movement, are having an impact. This realization might lead to folks asking what else they can do. Straws could be sort of the “gateway drug” to more hardcore conservationism.
If the #StopSucking movement has inspired you to check your habits, here’s some easy things you can do on your next Disney vacation to be a greener guest:
1. Bring your own reusable straw
I use a hard plastic straw in my water tumbler at home, but you can get metal and glass versions as well. If you like a straw in your drink, add one of these to your Disney packing list. Note: As of September 24th, you could still get straws everywhere at WDW – so they aren’t going away overnight.
2. Bring your own reusable water bottle
I’ve been doing this for years, but I’ll admit that the reason was to save money, not the environment. Disney will give you free ice water at any quick service location and many walk-up snack locations as well. And there
3. Purchase a refillable resort mug (free with the Disney Dining Plan)
This can be a money saver if you spend some time at your resort and you are a big
4. Bring your own bag for purchases, or reuse the first one you receive
In addition to doing away with straws and plastic stir sticks, Disney has committed to less plastic bags as well. They haven’t said how they plan to achieve this, but they have had reusable bags for sale for years in the gift shops. I bought this one at least 10 years ago, and promptly lost the tiny bag it fits in. Now I just roll it up and rubber band it and toss it in the backpack.
5. Bring or buy a reusable poncho, rather than the cheaper throwaway type
This is actually counter to the Disney planning advice I have usually given, which is to pre-purchase cheap ponchos at home so you don’t get caught without one can have to buy a pricier Disney version at the parks.
The cheaper ponchos are very thin and flimsy, so they are easier to fit into your park bag. The problem is, they are so flimsy that they tear easily and you often only get one use out of them. So you bring along several per person. A sturdier poncho will take up just a little more room in your bag, but I’m sure it’s the more green choice. In the long run, it will likely save you money as well.
6. Use reusable travel size containers for your toiletries
This one hurts. I LOVE visiting the travel aisle at Target. But as much fun as it is to buy tiny bottles of shampoo and conditioner, I have started to refill reusable containers from my big bottles at home.
Or, check to see if your resort has the new toiletry dispensers in showers. Disney has started to install large shampoo, conditioner and body wash pump bottles in the showers of its resorts and says it will convert all resorts to this amenity by mid-2019. Not all guests are fans of this change since now you can’t bring home tiny bottles as souvenirs of their Disney vacation. But they do sell large bottles in the gift shop if you need your H2O fix.
7. Reuse your towels and hang them to dry
Many hotel chains have been promoting this behavior for years with little placards in the bathroom reminding us of how much water we’re wasting by insisting that they wash our towels each day. I know that before those signs started showing up, I never thought about it – even though I regularly reuse my towel at home. Now, one of the first things we do after checking in to our Disney resort
8. Turn off your lights when you leave the room and turn the thermostat up
This is another one of those things that we are careful about at home but don’t even think of at a hotel when someone else is paying the energy bill. Okay, I admit I have a problem with this at home too, as my husband will attest.
9. Don’t leave the balcony door open
“What are you trying to do? Cool the entire outdoors?” I heard this a lot growing up as I was a pretty absent-minded child. I’m still an absent-minded adult, but now that I own my own home and pay my own bills, my dad doesn’t seem to yell as much. Luckily, our hotel rooms are getting smarter than we are. We noticed while staying the the Copper Creek Villas at Wilderness Lodge this summer that our thermostat kicked off and flashed “balcony” when we left the sliding glass doors open. I’m sure this feature will make its way to all the resorts eventually. In the meantime, I’ll try to remember not to cool (or heat) the entire outdoors.
10. Watch your consumption at buffets and All-you-can-eat meals
We waste a lot of food, people. I am as guilty of this as anyone, but it really hits home when you see all the food taken and then not eaten at Disney restaurants. When you can have as much as you want, it’s so tempting just to pile it up without regards to how much you can actually (or should actually) stomach. I think this becomes more obvious at Disney because of the prevalence and popularity of character meals, which are all buffets or all-you-can-eat meals served family style. How about this: just stop taking the fruit. We all grab a piece of fruit because we know our bodies need something healthy after a
