Cafe launch plastic-free Friday challenge

Blairgowrie and Rattray Climate Cafe has launched a plastic-free Friday challenge.

The move follows the group’s efforts to see Blairgowrie join a worldwide movement to end the use of environmentally-damaging plastic straws.

It wants pubs, cafes and restaurants in the town to sign up to the global Last Straw initiative.

A number of businesses including the Cateran Cafe, Cargill’s Bistro, the Old Cross Inn in Rattray and The Fair o’ Blair all agreed to stop using plastic straws.

The cafe’s latest initiative challenges local residents to have a plastic-free day every week and members of the group have come up with a number of ways in which people can use less “pointless plastic”.

These include using a refillable water bottle, taking a reusuable coffee cup, saying no to plastic straws, avoiding microbeads found in facial scrubs and shower gels, using a bamboo toothbrush, buying ketchup and jam in jars and buying bars of soap and shampoo.

Other suggestions are avoiding plastic-wrapped takeaways or sandwiches, buying fruit and vegetables that have not been wrapped in plastic and taking reusable bags or containers to stores or using a vegetable box supplier.

The group will also be asking local shops and supermarkets to offer paper bags for loose fruit and vegetables.

Paper bags will also be available in the Heat Project office.

Kay Seal is the driving force behind the campaign in Blairgowrie and Rattray.

She said: “We’re really pleased with the support our request to local cafes, restaurants and pubs to stop using plastic straws is receiving and we are very grateful for that.

“Although plastic straws are one of the worst single-use plastics found in ocean pollution, there is an awful lot of other pointless plastic in our lives.

“Trying to avoid pointless plastic every Friday is a good way to start reducing the amount we use.

“We’ve come up with a few suggestions and tips on how you could do your bit to make a difference and would love to hear how people get on once they have accepted the challenge.”

Blairgowrie, Rattray and District Climate Cafe meets on the third Wednesday of the month at the Heat Project office on the Wellmeadow from 7-9pm.

It offers a chance to discuss actions that can be taken on a local level to mitigate the impact of climate change.

The next meeting is on Wednesday, August 15.

The Climate Cafe will also have a stall at the Blairgowrie and Rattray Highland Games on September 2.