A gesture to all-but-eliminate drinking straws from beverages being served at White Spot restaurants may seem small when it comes to taking steps for the environment, but Guy Dorchester says potential for it to make a significant impact is huge.
Dorchester, who oversees the chain鈥檚 two South Surrey locations, as well as sites in 黑马磁力, Abbotsford and Squamish, said the effort 鈥� launched company-wide a month ago 鈥� means four million straws will not end up in the environment.
鈥淓verybody seems to be pretty much on-board,鈥� Dorchester told Peace Arch News of customers鈥� reaction. 鈥淲hen everybody understands why we鈥檙e doing it, it鈥檚 hard not to get behind.鈥�
Tackling the reduction or elimination of such single-use items is a focus for Metro Vancouver, where an effort to come up with a regional single-use-item reduction strategy is underway, with a particular focus on Styrofoam, plastic bags and disposable cups.
Wednesday, the voted to ban plastic straws 鈥� and some other single-use disposables 鈥� effective June 2019.
Dorchester said straws will continue to be provided at White Spot on request. As well, they have not not 鈥� yet 鈥� been removed from the establishment鈥檚 thicker drinks such as milkshakes, nor from the drinks that are part of the popular children鈥檚 Pirate Pak.
Paper straws as an alternative are being sourced, he added.
Dorchester said removing straws wasn鈥檛 the chain鈥檚 first environmentally conscious step 鈥� all seafood served at the restaurant, with the exception of calamari, is oceanwise, and all of the restaurant鈥檚 take-out packaging is now compostable.
He described making the move away from plastic 鈥� or any other step to do better for the environment, whether in business or at home 鈥� as 鈥渘ot that difficult.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 changing habits,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n 10 years, we won鈥檛 think anything of it.鈥�
Going strawless isn鈥檛 a challenge Dorchester has officially made to other establishments operating on the Semiahmoo Peninsula, but he is hopeful White Spot鈥檚 efforts will inspire.
鈥淲e would hope by taking this step, others will follow suit.鈥�
