American Airlines will do away with plastic straws in its
lounges and on aircraft.
The carrier will start first at lounges, where this month it
will eliminate plastic straws in favor of biodegradable straws and wood stir
sticks.
American will make the switch on planes in November,
exchanging the plastic straw/stir sticks it uses for a stir stick made from
bamboo.
American's move echoes a similar switch away from plastic straws
that Alaska Airlines will begin implementing next week.
Plastic straws have become a popular target of environmental
advocates concerned about ocean plastic pollution. Cities and corporations have
begun latching onto the campaign, including Starbucks, which announced on
Monday that it will phase out plastic straws.