So long, sucker: Hyatt is also ditching straws and single-use plastics

Hyatt hotels want to make sure guests have Instagram-worthy oceanfront views. The hotel group has announced that it will eliminate single-use plastic straws, drink picks, and other single-use plastics from its hotels around the world, helping to save the oceans from one of the sources of plastic pollution. After September 1, straws and picks will be available on request only, and eco-friendly alternatives will be provided where available.

“Eliminating plastic straws and drink picks builds on the environmental sustainability programs we have in place and further drives our global efforts to reduce environmental impact,” said Frank Lavey, senior vice president, global operations for Hyatt. “This is a meaningful step, and our commitment doesn’t stop with straws and drink picks. We will continue exploring viable alternatives everywhere we can.”

The move comes in the wake of Starbucks’s announcement that it will go straw-free by 2020, the city of Seattle’s single use plastic ban, and straw bans in cities around the United States and the globe. It’s an important step in eliminating some of the plastic waste that is dumped in the ocean. Across the United States, around 500 million plastic straws each day are tossed, which totals out to around 12 million pounds of plastic waste over a year.

The movement is growing as more organizations recognize the environmental benefit of getting rid of straws—and undoubtedly the PR benefit, too.