Bee-themed paper straws one step closer to a carbon neutral Manchester
- Restaurants and Bars adopt new paper straws with Manchester’s icon
- Mayor aims to have plastic-free Greater Manchester by 2020
- 130 businesses sign up to Plastic Free Greater Manchester Pledge
Bars and restaurants across Greater Manchester have taken part in a campaign to stop the use of single-use plastics.
Bee-themed paper straws will be distributed throughout Greater Manchester as part of the Mayor, Andy Burnham’s, goal of a plastic-free Greater Manchester by 2020.
The straws will replace plastic ones and will be made entirely from paper and are printed with the now iconic Manchester bee design.
This will support the wider Green City Region portfolio led by Councillor Alex Ganotis. They help businesses and the public sector become more energy efficient in response to climate change and with the aim to improve the quality of life, with the hope to make Greater Manchester carbon neutral by at latest 2040.
There are 130 businesses within the hospitality and catering industry that have now signed up to the Plastic Free Greater Manchester Pledge aiming to eliminate avoidable single-use plastics.
Mr Burnham said: “This is just the first step towards meeting our ambitious target against single-use plastics and I urge all bars, restaurants, and hotels to get on board with the campaign. Your involvement will make a real difference to the fight against plastic pollution.”
The straws are part of a larger campaign by Corin Bell, director of Real Junk Food Manchester. The social enterprise provides plastic and waste audits for businesses alongside the straws and point of sale information.
The straws have been made by the Stockport based catering equipment suppliers Stephensons. The managing director of Stephensons, Henry Stephenson said: “The interest in the paper straws has been fantastic and shows how businesses of all shapes and sizes are ready to sign up and play their part in a plastic free Greater Manchester.”
He added: “The list already includes the likes of Hilton DoubleTree, Albert’s Schloss and Grafene – with more businesses signing up everyday”
Ford Madox Brown spoke to the Northern Quota, who said: “As a Manchester-based business, we are absolutely honoured to be able to assist the GMCA (Greater Manchester Combined Authority) in their plans to make this fantastic city a place for everyone.
“The Manchester Bee Paper Straw is a simple but powerful statement for the city’s hospitality and tourism industries to reflect their commitment to reducing single-use plastics.”