Rosemarkie Beach Cafe gets plaudits for green efforts
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A BLACK Isle beach café is getting plaudits from around the world for going green.
A decision to do away with plastic takeaway packaging in a bid to help tackle a major global environmental issue went viral after being posted on the Rosemarkie Beach Café Facebook page.
Philip Eley, the café manager, said: “As a beach café, customers often ask us for a takeaway cuppa to walk with on our lovely beach. No-one who watched Blue Planet can have remained unaffected by the amount of plastic in our seas. We are therefore no longer buying plastic takeaway cups, lids, spoons or straws, and have of course always had china crockery and metal cutlery available for customers who prefer it.
"Instead of plastics we now have fully biodegradable cups and lids, paper straws and wooden spoons, which we keep, dry out and offer to customers as kindling in return for a donation.
“They do cost us more but we are keeping our hot drink prices the same, and have done for five years now. We’re not saying we are perfect environmentally speaking by any means, and we are actively looking at other things we could do to improve too.
"We have welcomed the amazing response to our initial Facebook post, which has reached tens of thousands of people online.”
The café will keep more solid straws available for anyone with a disability who needs it.
Mr Eley added: “Others have suggested using the wooden spoons, stirrers and so on as potting tools and plant labels. Our customers are amazingly inventive and we are very grateful.”
The café is a popular social enterprise which trains local youngsters, often in their first job, and provides employment.
