Westport to become Ireland's first plastic straw-free town

TheManTheMyth

WESTPORT IS AIMING to become the first town in Ireland to eradicate plastic straws.

The initiative by Westport Tidy Towns committee is part of its entry into the 2018 national competition.

The Mayo town has received a commitment from all vintners in Westport that they will only use biodegradable straws from 1 June.

Rhona Chambers, a member of Westport Tidy Towns committee, is hopeful that coffee shops, takeaways and supermarkets in the town will also be persuaded to replace plastic straws with biodegradable alternatives.

It is very likely that all the other businesses in the town will come on board. The local businesses in Westport always get behind the initiatives of the Tidy Town committee and understand its importance for the town.

”We are a coastal town and want to preserve the wildlife and nature in Westport, so getting rid of plastic straws helps us to do that,” Chambers said.

The eradication of plastic waste is more important than ever, after China decided to ban the importing of plastics from European countries.

China took 95% of Ireland’s plastic waste in 2016, but the ban which came into effect this year means that’s no longer possible.

With Ireland being the top producer of plastic waste in the EU, a number of businesses around the country have set up initiatives to reduce their plastic output.


The Westport committee is eager for other businesses in the town to join the plastic straw initiative by next month’s deadline as the busy tourist season will see an increase in plastic waste.

Fair play to Westport Tidy Towns and to the local business community for the support!

Trigger Happy

This will be the last straw.

cantdecide

That sucks.

Gravelly

Of all the many things wrong with Westport, I would have had straws as a very long way down the list.

theteal

Gravelly wrote: »

Of all the many things wrong with Westport, I would have had straws as a very long way down the list.

What's wrong with Westport???? :eek:

King George VI

Noooo my novelty plastic straw hat business will go down the tubes

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

djPSB

If that's all they have to worry about, that ain't doing too bad.

Gravelly

theteal wrote: »

What's wrong with Westport???? :eek:

Perhaps I'm being harsh, I don't know the town well, but I had the misfortune to be dragged along on a stag night there recently and it was like a summary of everything that is wrong with small-town Ireland. It probably didn't help that I'm too damn old for stag parties.

Yer Da sells Avon

I heard a representative from the drinking straw manufacturing industry debating this topic with an environmentalist on the radio. His arguments were poor, to say the least, constantly giving the impression that he was refuting his opponent's argument, while actually refuting an argument that was not presented by his opponent at all.

Gravelly

Hapax Legomenon wrote: »

I heard a representative from the drinking straw manufacturing industry debating this topic with an environmentalist on the radio. His arguments were poor, to say the least, constantly giving the impression that he was refuting his opponent's argument, while actually refuting an argument that was not presented by his opponent at all.

I wonder if he frequents boards, I've at least 10 possibles for him.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

freshpopcorn

Somebody should throw 100,000 plastic straws into Clew Bay!

Graces7

freshpopcorn wrote: »

Somebody should throw 100,000 plastic straws into Clew Bay!

Ah NO! That would be ,, the last straw... Why though. seriously? it is lovely

inter arma

Good for Westport. They were the first town in Ireland to eliminate science, and now plastic straws. Good for them.

jmayo

Gravelly wrote: »

Perhaps I'm being harsh, I don't know the town well, but I had the misfortune to be dragged along on a stag night there recently and it was like a summary of everything that is wrong with small-town Ireland. It probably didn't help that I'm too damn old for stag parties.

A friend from Westport was recently telling me of a group on a stag and how one was a real old miserable fecker.
If you think Westport is what is wrong with small town Ireland by jaysus you have lived a sheltered life.

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Says the man from Wicklow, the county that gives us Bray, Rathdrum and Rathnew.

freshpopcorn

Graces7 wrote: »

Ah NO! That would be ,, the last straw... Why though. seriously? it is lovely

Just to annoy them!

Ipso

Hapax Legomenon wrote: »

I heard a representative from the drinking straw manufacturing industry debating this topic with an environmentalist on the radio. His arguments were poor, to say the least, constantly giving the impression that he was refuting his opponent's argument, while actually refuting an argument that was not presented by his opponent at all.

Did he resort to straw man arguments?

blackbox

Does anyone know where you can get paper straws in bulk at a price that is comparable to the plastic ones?

They seem to be very dear - perhaps makers are cashing in on the trend.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

KaneToad

theteal wrote: »

What's wrong with Westport???? :eek:

Terrible traffic.

Over inflated opinion of self.

Similar to myself...

Peatys

theteal wrote: »

What's wrong with Westport???? :eek:

Traffic.

blondeonblonde

Patww79 wrote: »

:rolleyes: is environmental stuff really is bollocks.

Yeah single use plastics that are clogging up landfill, polluting seas and harming wildlife is bollocks.... Get a grip, sounds like a good news story to me. If only others would follow suit

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

cdeb

blondeonblonde wrote: »

Yeah single use plastics that are clogging up landfill, polluting seas and harming wildlife is bollocks.... Get a grip, sounds like a good news story to me. If only others would follow suit

Agreed.

What the hell do you need a straw in your pint of blackcurrant/bottle of Coke/whatever for anyway? Are we all still 9 years old or what?

The argument that it's only a small token of environmental change is no reason whatsoever not to go ahead with it.

Mackerel and Avocado Sandwich

My last job turned all plastic disposables in the canteen from plastic to biodegradables like wood and coffee cups and lids that broke down easily. This was in the public sector so if they can do it why can’t the rest? The fact that we’re reporting on this is just pathetic. Take a walk around Lidl and look at all the crap for sale that’s will be in landfills in the next few years. Waffle makers... lollipop machines... all kinds of junk. We live in a consumerist throwaway society, it’s disgusting but the public gets what the public wants.

Allinall

KaneToad wrote: »

Terrible traffic.

Over inflated opinion of self.

Similar to myself...

Walk.

It’s a small town.

Yer Da sells Avon

Ipso wrote: »

Did he resort to straw man arguments?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xECUrlnXCqk

Capt'n Midnight

blackbox wrote: »

Does anyone know where you can get paper straws in bulk at a price that is comparable to the plastic ones?

They seem to be very dear - perhaps makers are cashing in on the trend.

Hay , I know where to get organic straw

blondeonblonde

Patww79 wrote: »

They're just stories to get a few column inches to get the town in the news. A few shops not using straws doesn't matter a jot.

With that attitude, nothing of environmental importance would ever be done. Individuals can only change their own behaviour, either by reducing the amount of plastic they buy, bringing their own reusable bags instead of buying plastic bags, buying loose fruit and vegetables instead of packaged varieties, using keep cups instead of unrecyclable coffee cups etc.

Of course one person doing it alone will make no difference but it creates a ripple effect if everyone starts to do it. Once consumers demand it then retailers and producers will provide.

Even if it is simply a device to promote Westport as a town with green credentials, it still promotes the idea of sustainability and environmental awareness. That can only be a good thing.

You have to think global and act local. Cynicism will not solve anything.

K.Flyer

I can see the next headline "Westport Camels Celebrate Drop in Back Problems"

Tell me how

Patww79 wrote:

This post has been deleted.

Pick whichever one of these you can get your head around best so you can join us in the 21st century.

A - it sets a good example
B - it's a start
C - most people will likely start to think more proactively on what they can do to help the environment

Billy86

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Is a life without plastic straws even worth living?

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Yer Da sells Avon

If it extends beyond Westport, I'll probably end it all. Fuck this shit.

Billy86

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

If having a straw quite literally means the world to you, you'll be glad to know they also make non-plastic ones.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Allinall

Patww79 wrote: »

It's where it all leads. I soon won't be able to get my normal cup when I buy coffee in the Maxol if this keeps up. And I like my paper cups.

It's all just wangling in further taxation.

You do realize that your Maxol cup isn’t made from paper?

Billy86

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

They also make biodegradable coffee cups and water/drink bottles.

Tell me how

Patww79 wrote:

This post has been deleted.

Hopefully sooner rather than later. Think how long that cup holds your coffee, 7 - 8 minutes. And that cup is in a landfill or ocean for several years. It's not sustainable.

Mrsmum

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Can I please ask what town you regard as good or excellent. I'm just interested for comparison purposes between your best (?) and your worst (Westport & Killarney).

blondeonblonde

Patww79 wrote: »

To be honest, I'm dead set against it personally. If it takes off much then all it serves is to make my life more inconvenient now, while if nothing is done then I'll never see the bad effects, if any, in my lifetime.

Right... I've laid it out in a pretty clear, concise and logical way. Either you're a wind up merchant, ignorant, selfish or all of the above.

The effects"if any", as you call them, are well documented and available to those who will see them... Then again to coin a phrase, there are none so blind as those who will not...

Have a great life.

milehip

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

They're just stories to get a few column inches to get the town in the news. A few shops not using straws doesn't matter a jot.[/quote]


Westport's always been at the vanguard of self promotion who could forget the success of the " Sex offender leaves Westport" front page a few years back.

Gravelly

milehip wrote: »

" Sex offender leaves Westport"

I wouldn’t blame him.

milehip

Gravelly wrote: »

milehip wrote: »

" Sex offender leaves Westport"

I wouldn’t blame him.

Assume gender much?

milehip

Gravelly wrote: »

milehip wrote: »

" Sex offender leaves Westport"

I wouldn’t blame him.

Assume gender much?

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Working class heroes

milehip wrote: »

Assume gender much?

:rolleyes:

Dakota Dan

TheManTheMyth wrote: »

Fair play to Westport Tidy Towns and to the local business community for the support!

Every town in Ireland was plastic free not so long ago. So how can they claim they will be plastic free by just banning plastic straws?

Mrsmum

"Dunno really, somewhere even a little bit more natural. I just found it very plastic and too bog Irish aimed solely at Americans. The likes of Kinsale, Dingle, or Castletownbere weren't nearly as bad for it as Westport in my experience. It's also a kip to drive in and parking is a shambles.
Killarney is just full of nightclubs and boy racers doing laps of the town now. Lovely surrounding areas though."

Thanks for that. Fills in the picture of what they were being compared to.

Graces7

Mrsmum wrote: »

Can I please ask what town you regard as good or excellent. I'm just interested for comparison purposes between your best (?) and your worst (Westport & Killarney).

Anyone who does not like Killarney is suspect anyways.

Only thing i do not like re Westport is the crazy traffic system....Only one of three local Irish towns I tried to go down a one way street the wrong way.. ( other two are Ballina and Ballinrobe..)