News Disney removing plastic straws and more by mid-2019

[LittleBuford]

I would never consider the British to be European.

Ah, well, I’m one Brit who’s proud to be both.

 

[larryz]

Ah, well, I’m one Brit who’s proud to be both.

Euro entitled to euro 'pinion.

 

[thomas998]

Aren't paper straws more disposable than plastic? I know it might cost a few jobs at the local landfill, but is that really so bad?

Well why don't you ask the family of the guy at the landfill that no longer has a job... it is always easy to laugh off a theoretical person or two losing their jobs because of environmental wackos... but the reality is those theoretical people actually exist and when they lose their jobs their real families suffer.

As for paper straws being more disposable, they are both disposable and likely both end up in the same landfill taking up the same amount of space... only difference is the chemical feedstock used to make those straws is going to be created whether anyone demands it for straws or not because it comes from the natural gas and ngls that are produced when we drill for oil. Your paper straw is going to require some farmer to either grow plants or a tree farmer growing trees to create the paper for those straws and if you think crude oil and refining creates toxic nasties you need to go look at the toxic soup from a paper plant. Not to mention a paper straw costs more, they don't charge more because they think people want to pay more for paper straws they charge more because the resources to make a paper straw are greater than those to make a plastic straw meaning your wasting more resources when you make a paper straw than when you make a paper straw. If you want to really be environmentally friendly with straws use plastic straws and just make sure you dispose of them in the trash.

 

[RustySpork]

Well why don't you ask the family of the guy at the landfill that no longer has a job... it is always easy to laugh off a theoretical person or two losing their jobs because of environmental wackos... but the reality is those theoretical people actually exist and when they lose their jobs their real families suffer.

Why can't he just go get a job making paper straws? It's not our responsibility to make sure he remains gainfully employed, it's his.

As for paper straws being more disposable, they are both disposable and likely both end up in the same landfill taking up the same amount of space... only difference is the chemical feedstock used to make those straws is going to be created whether anyone demands it for straws or not because it comes from the natural gas and ngls that are produced when we drill for oil. Your paper straw is going to require some farmer to either grow plants or a tree farmer growing trees to create the paper for those straws and if you think crude oil and refining creates toxic nasties you need to go look at the toxic soup from a paper plant. Not to mention a paper straw costs more, they don't charge more because they think people want to pay more for paper straws they charge more because the resources to make a paper straw are greater than those to make a plastic straw meaning your wasting more resources when you make a paper straw than when you make a paper straw. If you want to really be environmentally friendly with straws use plastic straws and just make sure you dispose of them in the trash.

So Disney moving to paper straws would make them a job creator.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Once paper straws are implemented.....then it'll be time to "Save the Trees". We'll be on to aluminum straws by 2023. And I think they cost more to make...wonder where/who that cost will be passed to?

 

[King Panda 77]

The only thing i want to know out of this thread is why do some of y'all drink tea ?
Do they not have coffee where you are from ?

 

[Jon81uk]

Of course they have alternatives. They could either not buy the stuff or they could buy it online and save money. I know I haven't been to a Disney Store since they made me buy bags, not really out of protest but because if they want to make shopping in the store more difficult and costly, I'll just buy elsewhere.

But if you are in California, or one of the other many states who have plastic bag ban legislation, you can't just buy elsewhere, you either pay for the single use bag (if available), pay for the reusable bag or bring your own. Or just carry the item without a bag. Its not just the Disney store that wants to change shoppers habits, its many states and countries.

I regularly pay 5p for bags (at home in UK) when I don't have one with me and I have an impulse purchase, but if I am planning on getting something I generally bring bags with me. When I was in California I also paid for bags at several stores, but I also carried things where possible, or got a bag at the first store and then put everything in it.

 

[celluloid]

I could easily put bags in my car, but the problem is with a place like a Disney Store, I simply never know what I was looking at buying, it's pretty much all impulse buying. Sometimes it would be lots of things, sometimes nothing, and sometimes I don't even go in the store. I certainly don't want to carry a bunch of bags around and have no need for them, and if I don't bring enough bags then I have to buy more. Plus there's the fact that the Disney Store is the only one that doesn't provide free bags to customers around here, why would I carry around a bag solely for that one store. It's an added hassle that isn't necessary when I can simply get the items for less money without having to deal with buying or carrying around bags. And it really doesn't have to do with distance, my office is only a couple minutes from a Disney Store.

Bolded Part, because it is a simple change in habbit that has major impact beyond our own lives? But even if you don't care:

If you are that much of an impulse buyer, maybe the dollar or so charge for a reusable bag will help you out? You say distance does not have anything to do with it so if you don't want to buy the resuable bag, go back to the car and get the bag since that aspect of keeping one in the car does not bother you. Or, if it really just frustrates you all around without a solution, than no longer shop at The Disney Store. Your problem is solved with whatever of these you choose.

 

[The Pho]

But if you are in California, or one of the other many states who have plastic bag ban legislation, you can't just buy elsewhere, you either pay for the single use bag (if available), pay for the reusable bag or bring your own. Or just carry the item without a bag.

The internet exists in California, that's the alternative I mentioned. No dealing with bags, and it's cheaper, and it's more convenient.

Bolded Part, because it is a simple change in habbit that has major impact beyond our own lives? But even if you don't care:

If you are that much of an impulse buyer, maybe the dollar or so charge for a reusable bag will help you out? You say distance does not have anything to do with it so if you don't want to buy the resuable bag, go back to the car and get the bag since that aspect of keeping one in the car does not bother you. Or, if it really just frustrates you all around without a solution, than no longer shop at The Disney Store. Your problem is solved with whatever of these you choose.

If I have to run back out to my car, I'm inconveniencing myself, so I just buy online instead. It's not that I don't care, its not like I'd take the bags then throw them away immediately. If I don't actually need a bag I always turn one down. And Disney bags in particular I reuse around the house at least a dozen times before they wear out.
All I was pointing out was that Disney Store's bag policy has simply pushed me to buy from their website instead as the alternative, an option which exists anywhere that they'll ship to.

 

[RustySpork]

Where in the US? I've not seen any change in the offerings of plastic bags anywhere I have shopped.

Here in Orlando there are several places that don't use plastic like Lucky's Market and Aldi as two examples.

 

[King Panda 77]

Here in Orlando there are several places that don't use plastic like Lucky's Market and Aldi as two examples.

Possibly because Aldi is a European chain ?

 

[RustySpork]

Possibly because Aldi is a European chain ?

Probably that, along with the cost savings of not having to buy bulk plastic bags. I don't shop there very often but so far I haven't died from having to spend $.05 on a paper bag.

 

[Jon81uk]

Here in Orlando there are several places that don't use plastic like Lucky's Market and Aldi as two examples.

Possibly because Aldi is a European chain ?

Aldi in UK/Europe do use plastic bags, but have always charged for them. If they are using paper, that is a USA thing, paper bags are not commonplace for grocery shopping over here.

In fact Aldi (and Lidl) traditionally have a different style checkout system to other stores, so in theory if you have a car you don't need to pack bags. You unload everything onto the belt and pack it back into the trolley (cart) after the cashier has scanned it. Then if you need to put it in bags there is a shelf to give you space to organise it after payment. This is designed so the cashier can scan the groceries quicker and just get them out the way into the cart, the customer is the slower part and therefore needs to sort stuff out separately to the scanning process.

 

[RustySpork]

Aldi in UK/Europe do use plastic bags, but have always charged for them. If they are using paper, that is a USA thing, paper bags are not commonplace for grocery shopping over here.

In fact Aldi (and Lidl) traditionally have a different style checkout system to other stores, so in theory if you have a car you don't need to pack bags. You unload everything onto the belt and pack it back into the trolley (cart) after the cashier has scanned it. Then if you need to put it in bags there is a shelf to give you space to organise it after payment. This is designed so the cashier can scan the groceries quicker and just get them out the way into the cart, the customer is the slower part and therefore needs to sort stuff out separately to the scanning process.

The conveyer / cart / shelf configuration is the same here. Purchasing paper or reusable bags is optional.

 

[King Panda 77]

I'm just hoping they include plastic cutlery in this ban ...

 

[Jon81uk]

The conveyer / cart / shelf configuration is the same here. Purchasing paper or reusable bags is optional.

Whereas in the UK it was a bit of a change when the German supermarkets brought it in. We had generally packed straight into bags so the cashier scanned slow enough to allow me to pack my own bags.

 

[RustySpork]

I'm just hoping they include plastic cutlery in this ban ...

PAPER SPORKS

 

[King Panda 77]

PAPER SPORKS

I was thinking wooden but whatever works.
#sporklivesmatter

 

[RustySpork]

I was thinking wooden but whatever works.
#sporklivesmatter

ONE STAR - While I really enjoyed the ambiance of the ABC Commissary, I had to pick my steak up and eat it with my hands because the paper sporks just did not hold up and do their jobs! WHAT HAS THIS WORLD COME TOO? Was the steak too tough, or does this job demand plastic? WE DEMAND PLASTIC! To be fair, the cast did offer us wooden sporks but we're pro-tree people and politely refused. Stop the madness!

 

[King Panda 77]

ONE STAR - While I really enjoyed the ambiance of the ABC Commissary, I had to pick my steak up and eat it with my hands because the paper sporks just did not hold up and do their jobs! WHAT HAS THIS WORLD COME TOO? Was the steak too tough, or does this job demand plastic? WE DEMAND PLASTIC! To be fair, the cast did offer us wooden sporks but we're pro-tree people and politely refused. Stop the madness!

But if you choose a Treespork you can use your free ziplock bag to take it home and re-use it. Or replant it to grow another spork tree.