Going green
More environmentally friendly practices are being pushed in York County at its businesses
— The blue straws that debuted this year at Water Street Grille aren’t just pretty; they’re plantbased, biodegradable and compostable.
Made of a material derived from canola oil, the straws are designed to look and feel like traditional plastic models but break down in less than two months if they end up in a waterway, as compared to 200-plus years for plastics.
“They’re ocean-friendly, won’t fall apart in your drink and don’t negatively impact taste,” said Steven Boyer, the restaurant’s general manager. “We’ve just tried to minimize or eliminate the use of harmful plastics as much as possible.”
The restaurant’s switch is part of a countywide push for more environmentally friendly practices at its businesses. In January, York County became a chapter member of Virginia Green, a statewide effort that encourages green initiatives in tourism.
Launched in 2007, the program has recognized more than 1,800 tourism operations to date for their ecofriendly practices. York County joined in 2019 but has stepped up its involvement this year. “We do believe businesses have become more active since we solidified the commitment,” said Darren Williams, deputy director of Economic & Tourism Development.
Riverwalk Landing and Historic Yorktown, near the York River and Chesapeake Bay, have been a central hub in the effort.
“We’re so close to the water, which I grew up understanding we need to protect,” said Christie Van Cleave, a Gloucester native and co-owner of Yorktown Cottages, which offers two rental houses on Ballard Street. “It’s also simply good for business to keep things beautiful.”
Since taking over Yorktown Cottages in 2017, Van Cleave and her husband, Jim, have planted flowers that attract butterflies, bees and other pollinators and nurtured an organic herb garden where guests can pick basil, thyme, oregano, fennel, chives and more to use in their kitchens. They also have added natural mosquito repellents such as lemongrass, marigolds and sage.
“Little things matter, and they add up,” Van Cleave said.
Patriot Tours & Provisions has added electric bike rentals to its Segway tours and bike, kayak and paddleboard rentals, all designed to get visitors out of their cars. The eBikes have expanded the age and fitness range of renters, said Jill Pryor, the business’ co-owner.
“They provide a nice boost for people with more limited abilities, or for those who used to love biking but haven’t been able to do it for a while,” Pryor said. “Then we can just plug them in overnight and they’re ready to roll the next morning.”
Also at Riverwalk Landing, the main parking lot features electric vehicle charging stations; all street lamps have longer-lasting light-emitting diode, or LED, lights. Restaurants are required to use sustainable straws or no straws at all.
Many businesses, including Ben & Jerry’s and Patriot Tours & Provisions, regularly participate in beach cleanups to help the county’s Public Works Department. At the Watermen’s Museum, staff also are working to add organic material — often tree branch trimmings mixed with sand — to stabilize beach areas prone to erosion.
Hotels, inns and rental properties have made moves such as ditching disposable soap and shampoo containers for refillable dispensers, introducing email receipts to cut down on paper waste and installing energy-efficient appliances and low-flow faucets and toilets.
Outside Riverwalk Landing, other green initiatives include a new county policy that eliminates smoking and vaping at the McReynolds Athletic Complex and the addition of EV charging stations at public libraries and the courthouse on Ballard Street.
Libraries also offer refill stations for reusable water bottles and host the Trex Plastic Bag Recycling Challenge, which allows visitors to drop plastic bags into bins for repurposing into benches at a processing plant in Winchester.
Business leaders say they’re committed to continuing the momentum. Water Street Grille, for example, has now replaced all plastic and Styrofoam cups, bags and takeout containers with recycled paper products and boxes.
“We truly believe in the local green initiatives happening around us,” Boyer said, “and we will strive to find other ways we can evolve as a company to go green.”
For more information on Virginia Green and the county’s efforts, visit visityorktown.org/vagreen.
Join the ‘go green’ movement
The Yorktown Market Season kicks off Saturday with the annual “Go Green Market,” an effort to educate the public about sustainable living. The event runs from 8 a.m. to noon at Riverwalk Landing on Water Street. Participants can pick up free reusable shopping bags at the market’s information tent and visit exhibits by ecofriendly groups such as Colonial Beekeepers, York County and Poquoson Master Gardeners, and Colonial Soil & Water Conservation District. Children also can make a butterfly refrigerator magnet to take home.