The Walt Disney Company is making a new commitment towards being an even greener company. This effort is focused on straws, plastics, and bags at its Parks and Resorts.
Today it was announced that by mid 2019 Disney Parks and Resorts will have eliminated the use of plastic straws and stirrers. This will amount to a reduction of 175 million straws globally and 13 million stirrers annually.
The Parks and Resorts will also be moving away from single-use plastic bags. Disney will be reducing the use of these bags and offer instead reuseable bags for a “nominal price.”
In the Hotels and on the Disney Cruise Line, in-room plastics will be reduced by 80% over the next few years. Instead, refillable in-room amenities will be utilized.
The other goal is to eliminate polystyrene cups from Disney properties globally.
“Eliminating plastic straws and other plastic items are meaningful steps in our long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship,” said Bob Chapek, Chairman, Disney Parks, Experiences, and Consumer Products. “These new global efforts help reduce our environmental footprint, and advance our long-term sustainability goals.”
Since 1995, the Disney Conservation Fund has invested more than $95 million into the protection of wildlife around the world. Walt Disney once said, “conservation isn’t just the business of a few people. It’s a matter that concerns all of us.”
“Disney has always been inspired by nature – and it is a uniquely powerful brand that inspires, educates, and entertains, all at the same time,” said Dr. M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International. “Today’s announcement is more than about reducing single-use plastic waste, it’s also about showing millions of kids and adults from around the world the many ways we can change our daily habits to care for the oceans and protect nature that sustains us all. It also builds on Disney’s longstanding commitment to conservation and environmental stewardship, a legacy that stretches from the highlands of Peru to the islands of the South Pacific.”
The Walt Disney Company continues to be dedicated to the protection of our planet and its inhabitants. You can find out more about Disney’s conservation efforts at www.thewaltdisneycompany.com/environment.
What do you think of the direction the Walt Disney Company is taking as it expands its conservation efforts? Let us know in the comments below!
