Hyatt says goodbye to plastic straws, drink picks

Hyatt hotels announced its plan to eliminate single-use plastic straws and drink picks. After Sept. 1, 2018, straws and picks will be available on request only, and eco-friendly alternatives will be provided where available.

“At Hyatt, we care for people so they can be their best, and this care extends to our communities and to preserving resources for future generations. 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. 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,” said Frank Lavey, Senior Vice President, Global Operations, Hyatt.

This move away from single-use plastics builds on efforts already underway across Hyatt’s global portfolio, including; minimise and divert food waste, source responsibly, and reduce water and energy consumption. Since launching its 2020 Environmental Sustainability Vision in 2014, Hyatt has made significant strides toward its goals, integrating sustainability guidelines into purchasing criteria and engaging suppliers around sustainable practices.

Nearly 100 per cent of Hyatt’s Avendra suppliers and distributors now have sustainability policies in place. Hyatt surpassed its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per square meter by 25 percent in all regions when compared to 2006. Fitness centers at Hyatt hotels across North America now offer earbuds that are recyclable rather than single-use. In 2017, more than 80 participating Hyatt hotels contributed to nearly 65,000 pairs of recycled earbuds.

Additionally, 2018 marks 10 years of Hyatt’s collaboration with Clean the World, a non-profit that collects used soap and shampoo products from hotels, recycles them, and then donates them to communities in need. Over the past nine years, Hyatt hotels have donated 475,000 pounds of bar soaps and toiletries. During the hurricanes in 2017 alone, Clean the World donated 185,000 hygiene kits and 250,000 bars of soap.