Cafe and Take Away Resources
The Problem with single use plastic
Over 8 million tonnes of plastic waste enters the ocean every year, equivalent to a full garbage truck every second! Much of that waste is single use plastic items like bags, bottles, straws, cutlery, food packaging.
Single use plastic items are used on average for less than 10 minutes and last a lifetime. Plastics can take 500-1000 years to degrade and release toxic chemicals in the process, some of which can cause severe human health problems. They never completely break down, turning into millions of micro plastics, which end up throughout our land and waterways, being ingested by marine wildlife and finally into our own food chain!
People are generally more aware today of how bad single use plastics are and their devastating and lasting impacts on the environment. Research now shows that a third of consumers choose to buy from businesses they believe are doing social or environmental good.*
It’s time to start the break up with single-use plastic!
Breaking Up is Hard to Do!
Let’s face it, breaking up with single use plastic can be incredibly difficult for café owners to do, given it is cheap, convenient and easily sourced. Single use disposable items like bags, cups that improve the shopping experience have become basic expectations.
So how does a café begin to break up with plastic?
Start where you are, with what you have!
Perhaps you as a business feel very strongly about single use plastic pollution and would like to do more but don’t know where to start? You might be concerned with the potential negative reactions from your customers? Maybe you are concerned with the cost impacts to your business in making these changes?
Every business can only start where they are and do what they can within their control – every little bit is a step in the right direction and some change is better than no change at all.
Whether you are ready to take little steps or big strides, there is something we can all be doing to start breaking up with plastic in our lives.
We have pulled together some tips for you to consider as you look through your business and identify ways feasible for you and your business.
From removing single use plastics, promoting a reusable culture to swapping to single use alternatives, there are many simple ways your business can say bye bye to plastic!
What single use items do you use?
SINGLE USE PLASTIC BAGS
Little Steps
Even if you still use plastic bags, stop giving them out automatically. Only give to customers if they ask!
Start a re-useable bag bank and encourage people to drop off their used plastic and non-plastic bags to be reused. Even plastic bags that are used multiple times are better than using them once and being discarded.
Put cardboard boxes that your suppliers deliver stuff in for customers to put their goods in.
Big Strides
Change your bags from single use plastic to a non-plastic or compostable alternative.
Start selling reusable bags made of canvas or cotton.
Put cardboard boxes that your suppliers deliver stuff in for customers to put their goods in.
Start charging a small amount for new plastic bags.
DISPOSABLE COFFEE CUPS
Little Steps
Big Strides
PLASTIC STRAWS
Little Steps
Big Strides
SINGLE USE WATER BOTTLES AND JUICE/SMOOTHIE CUPS WITH PLASTIC LIDS
Little Steps
Big Strides
PLASTIC FOOD CONTAINERS AND CONDIMENTS
Little Steps
Big Strides
PLASTIC CUTLERY
Little Steps
Big Strides
SINGLE USE PACKAGING
Little Steps
Big Strides
Getting YOUR TEAM on board
Educating and equipping your whole team with WHY your business is saying bye bye to plastic and HOW you are planning to go about this will ensure a smoother transition and more positive experience for your business overall.
Your staff are key in not only getting behind your initiatives and making sure your change is a success, but also that it is communicated effectively to your customers. Hosting team training to make sure your team and staff are all aware of and understand any changes that you decide to make in relation to single use plastic and how to reduce it in your business will be one of the biggest keys to your success!
LISTEN TO YOUR STAFFS OPINIONS & SUGGESTIONS
Ask your staff for their opinions about single use plastic, so that all staff members’ views are heard. As the owner or manager then you must explain the changes that you want to make to the business operations and the specific ways in which single use plastic will be reduced and why you are doing this. The reasons may be multiple – you may be passionate about caring for the environment and concerned about adding further to the problem. It could be about ensuring that you keep and attract the sort of customers that care about plastic pollution.
DISCUSS SINGLE USE PLASTIC
First discuss with your staff either individually or in a group about the broader issues with single use plastic pollution and bring it down to specifically what it means in your business. Have staff meetings and regular huddles to talk about the plastic pollution issue and what impact making these changes to your business will have on the environment.
DOCUMENT POLICIES & PRACTICES
Establish and document staff policies and practices – always ask customers “do you have your own cup/container etc”, do you know about our discounts for BYO? Put up signs and posters to remind your staff, especially if you have casuals and non-regulars who come in about the new practices.
BRAINSTORM CHALLENGES & SOLUTIONS TOGETHER
Ask for the staff to bring up challenges that they foresee and get the group to brainstorm ways to get around these difficulties. Getting people to offer suggestions which are heard and may be adopted by the group is really effective to get buy in to the new ways of doing things.
Getting YOUR CUSTOMERS on board
Educating and equipping your whole team with WHY your business is saying bye bye to plastic and HOW you are planning to go about this will ensure a smoother transition and more positive experience for your business overall.
Your staff are key in not only getting behind your initiatives and making sure your change is a success, but also that it is communicated effectively. Hosting team training to make sure your team and staff are all aware of and understand any changes that you decide to make in relation to single use plastic and how to reduce it in your business will be one of the biggest keys to your success!
PROMOTE YOUR GOOD WORK TO CUSTOMERS IN STORE
Print out bye-bye plastic posters that spell out what steps your business is taking to break up with single use plastic and put them up in highly visible places in your shop.
This will also help staff to remember the new ways of doing things and your customers will also be able to ensure that your staff are doing the right things when it comes to single use plastic.
GET SHARING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Sharing your positive initiatives towards saying bye bye to plastic are worth sharing to let existing and potential customers know what you are doing. It also helps set the bar for other businesses in the area.
Tell the story
- Hash-tag #hellobyo and #byebyeplastic and post photos on your social media to influence and encourage others
- Make a poster or sign from your Bye-Bye Plastic pledge put it in your window, on the wall or on the counter to let your customers and staff know about your commitment
- Clip an information card on your menus explaining that your business is committed to addressing the problem and reducing single use disposable plastic in your establishment
- Let your customers know about the plastic pollution problem and what you as a business are doing about it
- Encourage your staff to talk to customers about single use plastic and the actions your business is taking to reduce it in a positive and awareness raising way
- Make a Pledge as a business to reduce or say bye-bye to single use plastic at www.byebyeplastic.org.au
- Post on your website and social media information about plastic pollution and your business’ commitment to say bye-bye plastic Hello BYO