A Fenit-based eco beach café aiming to lead by example
EVERY year, 1million tons of plastic are produced globally.
It’s a shocking statistic, but even more shocking is the fact that by 2050 it’s estimated there will be more plastic in our oceans than fish.
But through extensive lobbying by environmental groups, industries are coming under pressure to come up with viable alternatives.
One Kerry man believes it’s possible for everyone to do their bit and has taken the initiative by ditching plastic drink bottles at his beach-side cafe in favour of glass.
Mike O’Neill from Mike’s Beach Shop, Fenit, made the decision having organised the inaugural Wild Mind Nature Festival, which took place in the picturesque north Kerry fishing village in April this year.
“I’ve always been environmentally aware, and for me, moving from plastic to glass was a natural progression,” he said.
“We screened ‘A Plastic Ocean’ as part of our Wild Mind festival, and the film pulls no punches with regard to where we are in terms of pollution. I wanted to reduce my own footprint and make it a little easier for others to reduce theirs too.”
So far the change hasn’t inconvenienced customers.
“Nobody has complained and we have glass-recycling facilities in Fenit, so disposing of the bottle is easy. I see this as an opportunity to get the conversation started,” he said. “We need to reduce our waste and come up with innovative ways of doing so.”
Mr O Neill’s proactive green policies extend beyond the change to glass bottles; it’s two years since his business took the initiative to source compostable coffee cups:
“Our cups don’t have a plastic lining so, essentially, you can put them into your brown recycle bin ,and within six weeks, they should break down into organic waste. Also, the lids are made from starch, and even the vegetable-based ink for our logo is biodegradable. The great thing is the company that produces these cups is here in Ireland, in County Clare.”
Following on from the success of its first outing, Mr O Neill hopes that Wild Mind Nature Festival will become an annual event where people can enjoy all nature has to offer while learning new ways to preserve and protect it.
“We are the problem,” Mr O’Neill said. “But luckily, we are the solution too.”