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.