Southwest Airlines announced today that it is introducing new cups and stir sticks in an effort to reduce single use plastic waste. The new service products are expected to reduce inflight single-use plastics by more than 1.5 million pounds annually.
The new cups and stir sticks are part of the carrier’s Nonstop to Net Zero initiative wherein Southwest plans to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Today’s announcement outlines three ways that the carrier is reducing single-use plastics onboard its aircraft; cups, stir sticks, and napkins.
- New Cold Beverage Cups: The new cold beverage cups are made from 93% non-plastic materials, consisting of a pulp blend of 75% bamboo and 25% paper with a polyethylene lining.
- Wooden Stir Sticks: The new stir sticks are made out of birch wood and features Southwest’s signature heart branding.
- Upgraded Napkins: In addition to the two items highlighted in the release, the carrier announced that they have quietly transitioned to a paper overwrap for its napkins back in July. The airline states that plastic has been fully removed from this item, though I was surprised that the napkins had plastic to begin with.
In addition to the service items outlined above, the carrier has plans to introduce a new “select-a-snack” offering on flights to and from Hawaii. The airline doesn’t go into much detail about what this will entail but does go on to say that it is anticipated to decrease food waste and reduce single-use plastic packaging by at least 18,000 pounds annually.
Southwest’s announcement comes a week after Alaska Airlines, long a leader in sustainability efforts amongst the major U.S. carriers, trialed reusable plastic cups on a flight between Seattle and Minneapolis/St. Paul.
While I don’t see any carrier rolling out reusable glassware in Economy, the logistics alone to get those to and from a dishwashing facility in between flights is enough to make my head spin, it’s nice to see Southwest make a change that has minimal to no impact on its passengers while also benefiting the environment.
Summary
Southwest Airlines is making changes to its service offerings in an effort to reduce single-use plastic waste. The Dallas based carrier has rolled out new cups, stir sticks, and napkins all designed with sustainability in mind. These new products are expected to reduce single-use plastic waste onboard by 1.5 million pounds annually.
(Images courtesy Southwest and Alaska Airlines)
