Page 48 - Play Coastal Mississippi - Spring, 2024

DINING
Whether you’re looking for a great breakfast, lunch, or dinner, Coastal Mississippi has plenty of delicious options for dining out. Sometimes, dining out comes with single-use plastic items like cups, straws, and take- out containers. This trash often ends up in waterways and makes up half of all the plastic trash
in the oceans.
One local organization is making a difference in the amount of single-use plastic items we use. Plastic Free Gulf Coast raises awareness and helps restaurants switch to more eco- friendly products. The Greenhouse Biloxi is one of their partners. They use cardboard bakery boxes, paper
bags, and molded paper trays for to-go items. The swap to these sustainable choices helps them meet their goal of using as little plastic as possible.
Plastic Free Gulf Coast began in 2016 with initial funding from the Gulf of Mexico Alliance’s Gulf Star Program. Over nearly a decade, the program has grown and so have their goals. Beyond just supporting restaurants in their switch from plastic, the program is now helping restaurants and consumers use fewer single-use items from the start.
“One lesson we’ve learned is that to move away from single-use plastics, we need to reassess all the waste we create,” said Project Coordinator Elizabeth Englebretson. “Reuse is the way forward. Plastic Free Gulf Coast continues to work on getting reusable systems in place for restaurants and organizations in Coastal Mississippi and beyond.”
You can do your part for a cleaner Mississippi Gulf Coast by reducing the amount of plastic you use when dining out. Here are a few ideas to try:
• Bring your own reusable coffee cup. While it may seem like cups for hot coffee are just paper, they usually have a plastic coating to make them waterproof. This makes them hard to recycle.
• Let your server know you don’t need a single-use plastic straw. Skip the straw altogether or pick a reusable option that you can bring with you and use again.
• Mention that you don’t need plastic utensils when ordering your takeout. Some restaurant apps even ask if you need cutlery for your to-go order.
• Use your own containers and reusable bag for take-out items.
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