United Airlines will eliminate plastic stir sticks on all flights

United Airlines will eliminate non-recyclable plastic stirring sticks and cocktail picks on all its aircraft and replace them with environmentally friendly alternatives made out of bamboo, the company announced Sept 6. The carrier expects to start making the transition to bamboo in early November. The carrier called the move “a small but meaningful step to help minimize the impact plastic products have on our environment.” United has done the research and found that with 8.8b tons of plastic now polluting the world’s oceans, even something small like replacing plastic stirring sticks and cocktail pics can make a difference. United emphasized that the elimination of the plastic sticks and cocktail pics is expected to be just a first step in a larger sustainability initiative. <br/>