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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 11, 2017)
Street Roots • August 11-17, 2017 News Page 9 Rain Storm by Peaches Youngerman for almost five years, beaches. Their model works on activating which has, according campaigns that will make the oceans cleaner to Person, “Improved and more sustainable for marine life and for our business because the humans who both want to preserve the we’re being so efficient in beauty of our seas and participate in activities our resource usage. We’re like surfing. The Portland Chapter of Surfrider, using less money because our which played an integral part in the bans on energy costs are lowered and we both polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) containers shop locally.” and plastic bags, is When asked if there were any now focusing its downsides to their commitment to efforts on phasing sustainability, Person conceded there are out single-use plastic some challenges. straws. “It can be time consuming, to research all On Aug. 1, these products and verify items,” she said. Widmer Pub will no “We’re a busy restaurant. GRA helps with that longer include by giving directions with information we need straws in any of its beverages, including on alternatives because they will ask their soda and water, network of vendors.” however paper Cory Schisler, Bamboo Sushi’s creative straws will still be director, points to GRA in helping it to create available upon the world’s first sustainable-certified sushi request. This “Ditch restaurant. “Overall, we’ll ask their opinion on the Straws” different products,” he said, referring to GRA. campaign is a pilot program, the first of its “For example, when sourcing a compostable kind in Portland, and will take place over the to-go container or paper product, we’d ask month of August and possibly longer, which has more point value in their standards depending on how well it is received by the to determine the level of ‘greenness.’” public. Bamboo Sushi makes many of its decisions Nancy Nordman, a student at Portland about products and practices with the goal of State’s Leadership to Sustainability Education sustainability in mind, a trend that creates program, is a long-time volunteer for Surfrider environmental ambassadors from its staff and a member of the Portland chapter. She members. “It’s not the easiest job. We put said the straw campaign was born out of a them through a rigorous training program. planning meeting. They have to learn a lot about sustainability “Over 500 million plastic straws are thrown and our relationship with the GRA. Our talent away every day in the United States, said pool is smaller, but we hire people based on „ Nordman. “These straws end up polluting our passion, who have the same values as we do, oceans and hurting marine life.” said Schisler. In addition, according to Ocean Bamboo Sushi sees its staff as an essential Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup ingredient in advancing its sustainability model. data, plastic straws consistently make the top “If I look at the people coming into Bamboo, ten list of items found on the world’s beaches, I’d say 15 percent are coming in because of our and in the last three years, they have reached sustainability equipment,” Schisler said. I m the number five spot. It is for these reasons happy with that ratio because it exposes those that Surfrider is pioneering this other 85 percent to our dedication to the campaign, and has found the perfect environment. A few more talking points from vehicle with Widmer, which is our servers makes them more educated working to become an Ocean consumers and makes them ask those Friendly Restaurant, a designation questions in other places.” bestowed by Surfriders. Schisler points to a specific element that can “We hope this Ditch the Straw earn ample green points and is beginning to campaign continues to grow in revolutionize the restaurant world: vegetables. momentum and other restaurants “One thing we’ve been doing in our menu is to follow suit in implementing a straw- add three more veggie dishes. So we are upon-request policy to reduce marine increasing the amount of things on the menu plastic pollution,” she said. that are plant-based. People’s tastes change In the end, restaurant business comes down and you can do a lot with veggies. There are to the consumer, and consumers vote with some innovative chefs doing just that. their wallets. Widmer’s next big move, with guidance from “The biggest thing a person can do is to let a GRA, is partnering with an organization called restaurant manager know that this is the Surfrider Foundation. Surfrider works something they care about,” said Oshman. almost exclusively through activist volunteers “Consumers care, and restaurants need to to protect the world’s oceans, waves and I was born to be in a rainstorm to send your voice throughout the night to sing your song with following raindrops on my head. To break the darkness with your light, you were born to show raw beauty. To wash the dirt out from their eyes but the whole world ran for cover. When you opened up the skies I began to cry. So you made thunder to warn us. And learnt to bite your rainy tongue. You gave me life with endless sun. You gave me what I wanted. But as I watch the leaves turn brown and dry I wished I didn’t take it for granted! Your booming presence is in the sky. I was born to be a rain storm to be chaotic and to be bold to show there’s beauty in the knowledge, that you cannot be controlled. Because you might think you’re not needed life without you is the same but nothing beautiful would ever grow to glow in F th e n ig h t. If it w a sn ’t washed away with the rain. Above, a 3-star certification fo r Widmer Brewing co. by the Green Restaurant Association The G RA rates, restaurants nationwide on a range o f practices to determine T to 5-star ratings, with it’s highest rating known as Sustainabuild. Below, the campaign from the Surfrider Foundation to discourage plastic straw use. Everyone Needs Love by P.K. Paulette Bade My love My life She’s there for me And I’m there for her When I’m sad or happy She’s here, I’m here for her She’s my love, and she loves me, My P.K. Bade She’s my kitten.
