To help end single-use plastic pollution, Bon Appétit Restaurant has introduced biodegradable paper straws throughout its indoor-outdoor waterfront digs. The Dunedin stalwart, which recently took the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s “Skip the Straw” pledge, is the latest eatery to nix plastic straws.
According to manager Thomas Riedl, Bon Appétit’s elimination of the traditional plastic straw is a small change that makes a big impact.
“Marine life is a part of our daily life here at the restaurant,” Riedl said in a statement. “We look out our restaurant windows and see dolphins playing and seabirds hunting for fish. The waterfront, the sea life, are all very much part of Bon Appétit’s identity. So, once we realized 90% of trash in the ocean was made of plastic, we knew it was time to join the movement and make the change.”
Bon Appétit has cut back on plastics elsewhere, too, by swapping plastic to-go bags with their paper brethren. Opened by Peter Kreuziger and Karl Riedl in 1976, the European-American restaurant aims to inspire and encourage its customers to reduce their own plastic usage.
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This article appears in Oct 18-25, 2018.