Page 41 - South Mississippi Living - October, 2020

The Greenhouse on Porter and their recently opened Biloxi location are no strangers to environmentally conscious tactics. Sustainability is at the heart
of their business model and despite the pandemic, their commitment to environmental stewardship continues to be prioritized. Having shifted from traditional serving and flatware for in-house dining, all
in any use of plastic – not in to-go cups, containers, bags, or even straws!
The biggest challenge COVID-19 has brought to the café’s sustainability practices has been lack of product availability – the demand for plastic alternatives has skyrocketed as more consumers are committing to their own green practices. Elizabeth
Englebretson, project leader for Plastic Free Gulf Coast, points to the greater need for locally sourced manufacturing, explaining that the international supply chain for these eco-safe alternatives came to
a halt once COVID-19 descended. And due to a lack of local manufacturing and distribution, consumers
PPE, grocery delivery, online shopping, and food delivery, has emphasized for me the need to look at the way products are packaged for consumers. We are being sold the packaging along with the product inside.”
This awareness is the first step in identifying ways you can mitigate your own plastic consumption. Health and safety is your first priority, but then assess what ways you can substitute or even eradicate those plastic products. Though we are all still adjusting to post- pandemic normalcy, Englebretson says, “Why not start something new right now? Make a list of all the plastic in your life and choose one thing to change.”
And for fellow business owners in the service industry looking to cut back on plastic consumption, Lafrance encourages small steps and starting a
dialogue with customers. She says, “We went from
handing out thousands of straws a week to less than 100 per week, just from giving people a
chance to stop and
think about if they really needed or
wanted one.”
Stop and think – this
is advice we can all take to heart to ensure we
keep ourselves, each other, and our planet safe.
their products are now sold in compostable or biodegradable to-go containers – including flatware!
“BEING RESPECTFUL OF THE
The Greenhouse even
composts all their
vegetable scraps and
recycles what they can.
Despite the challenges
the pandemic has
presented, their pledge
to sustainability has
never wavered while
maintaining a safe
environment for their employees and customers. Greenhouse co-owner Jessie Zenor says, “Being respectful of the environment is important to us. We do it because it is the right thing to do.”
have had little options for plastic
alternatives.
Though both Zenor and
Whitney Lafrance of Mockingbird said their consumer base has been overwhelmingly supportive of their sustainability practices, the dependency on plastic due to the pandemic is alarming. Says Englebretson, “Watching all the plastic stream into my home from
Mockingbird Café in Bay St. Louis partnered with Plastic Free Gulf
Coast – a grass-roots campaign meant
to raise awareness and stewardship
on finding alternatives to single-use plastics – to provide a completely plastic free environment before the pandemic hit. No transactions at the café result
Plastics polute our beaches here on the MS Gulf Coast.
ENVIRONMENT IS IMPORTANT TO US. WE DO IT BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.”
Owners Jessie Florence Zenor and Kait Sukiennik of Greenhouse on Porter are doing their part at being as plastic free as possible.
Mockingbird Cafe has partnered with Plastic Free Gulf Coast and is skipping straws and lids as well as serving drinks in PLA plant based plastic made from corn.
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