Last year, Walt Disney CEO Robert Iger went to war with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over the company’s willingness to support its LGBTQ+ cast members. That wasn’t really a fight former CEO Bob Chapek wanted. He got sort of tricked into starting it.
As part of that battle, DeSantis called out every perceived “woke” move the Mouse House made. In his world, telling stories that involved diverse populations was a capitulation to the woke mob.
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Never mind that the massive success of “Coco” and “Encanto” showed a demand for broader storytelling, DeSantis called out every black or brown character, and every gay kiss (there were roughly three across all Disney content) as some sort of attempt to pander to the left.
Despite being Florida’s largest single-site employer, and a huge driver of tax revenue, DeSantis made the company a target. He accused Disney of grooming kids without offering any evidence, and pushed the company until it actually decided to not move over 1,000 highly-paid workers from California to Florida.
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That also involved Iger cancelling a new $1 billion headquarters building and the two sides kept lobbing bombs at each other until a détente was reached. Mostly, Iger was never not going to invest heavily in Disney World and DeSantis needs that tax revenue.
Former Disney CEO Bob. Chapek was pushed into a political battle.
Image source: Walt Disney/TheStreet
Disney World goes solar
Somehow caring about the future of the planet has become an issue that labels you (or a company) as left-leaning. Electric vehicles, for example, used to be cool, but now some people see them as robbing Americans of their right to burn traditional gasoline.
Caring about the planet and believing in global warming should realistically be everyone issues, but somehow they have become political. That makes sense in a world where somehow the NBA and NFL, two leagues whose teams are owned by mostly right-leaning billionaires, have also been cast with the woke tag at various times.
And, while DeSantis has found new targets for his good-for-television scolding, Disney has remained somewhat careful. It has not abandoned things like Pride Night, but it’s quieter in its support some would argue, and an effort has been made to make content that’s not triggering for conservatives.
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Now, the company has embraced solar power and being efficient in keeping trash off the ground at Disney World. Last year, Disney began testing solar powered trash cans/trash compactors on a limited basis at Epcot.
That pilot appears like it’s about to expand.
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Disney World expands it solar trash can plan
“The test is still limited to the Germany Pavilion for now, but it looks like Walt Disney World is preparing for a parkwide rollout of the smart trash cans. We spotted roughly 10 solar-powered trash cans in use throughout the Germany Pavilion – replacing a lot of the standard trash cans along the main walkway and nearby seating area,” Blog Mickey reported.
These high-tech trash cans are made by a company called Big Belly. They use solar power (with a battery backup) to operate an in-can trash compactor that can create more space for trash as the cans fill up. These trash cans can house about five times the garbage of a traditional trash can.
That’s a really big deal at Epcot which has multiple festivals a year where visitors buy food and drinks served on plates and in cups that get thrown away. The solar-powered trash cans reduce the need for staff to change the trash multiple time per day while avoiding unsightly overflowing trash cans.
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In addition, the smart trash cans can, using some of their solar power, send a signal to a hub when they are getting full. A worker can then come and empty the can before it overflows.
The solar-powered trash cans can also be opened by stepping on a pedal rather than by pulling on a handle. That’s good for people who have their hands full and those not looking to touch surfaces touched by other parkgoers who just had their hands in their mouths.
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