A major threat to our environment and especially our oceans is the production of single-use plastic items. Single-use plastic items are things like stir sticks, wrappers, utensils, and straws. The problem with this pollution is so bad that the European Parliment voted to enact a complete ban on some single-use plastics across the nations of the European Union. A report by the United Nations called Single-Use Plastics – A Road Map to Sustainability points out that “Plastic bag bans, if properly planned and enforced, can effectively counter one of the causes of plastic overuse.”

U.S.-based air carrier Delta Air Lines is also stepping up its environmental stewardship by removing a variety of single-use plastic items from its aircraft and Delta Sky Club. The ongoing effort comes on the heels of the global airline’s leading move to remove plastic wrap from international main cabin cutlery in April of this past year. Delta is expected to eliminate more than 300,000 pounds in plastic waste annually; that’s more than the weight of two Boeing 757 aircraft.

Credit: Delta Airlines

Delta’s long-time sustainability efforts include the elimination of unnecessary plastic wrapping from Delta One amenity kits, and reducing Styrofoam in the cafeterias at Delta’s Atlanta headquarters. The styrofoam is being replaced with compostable and/or reusable alternatives.

We hope to see this trend continue and encounter less single-use plastics in our daily lives.