Our hospitality team is working hard to reduce plastic usage in the kitchens and restaurants at all of our housing with extra care schemes, to limit our impact on the environment.
One of the first things we did in this regard was to replace plastic drinking straws with 100 per cent-recyclable paper drinking straws.
We also began ordering and supplying biodegradable hot drink cups, which are made from plant material, are 100 per cent-recyclable and leave a smaller carbon footprint than cups we’ve used in the past.
Hospitality Officer, Katja Steffensmeier said “If we are to achieve a significant reduction in plastic usage, then it’s vital that our suppliers share our aims.” Katja has made enquiries to our current suppliers to find out what changes they are making to reduce plastic packaging. She has received a positive response from several suppliers who are also working hard to reduce their usage of plastic materials.
Our Hospitality team are trying to:
• switching from single-use tissue napkins to compostable napkins
• provide compostable paper plates, paper cups and disposable cutlery for all events
• work closely with suppliers to avoid unnecessary packaging
• use loose sugar, sweetener, salt and pepper instead of sachets
• find alternatives to cling film and tin foil
• use compostable bin liners
• find biodegradable alternatives to paper towels, kitchen roll and other items
• review how to transform our kitchens and restaurants into eco-friendly environments on an ongoing basis
Katja added “We’re making steady progress. However, it’s a big task and this is only the beginning; hopefully by this time next year we will have achieved even more changes.”
