March 29, 2024
Annapolis, US 44 F

Annapolis Green and City of Annapolis encourage a plastic free Annapolis

Earlier this week, the City of Annapolis launched “Plastic Free Annapolis…A Public Education Campaign,” to urge all Annapolitans to cut back on single-use plastic.

Created and implemented by Annapolis Green on behalf of the City, the campaign expands a grassroots program focused on reducing the use of plastic straws that was launched by the nonprofit organization last year. The goal of Plastic Free Annapolis – a month-long campaign – is to inform residents, visitors and businesses about ways to voluntarily reduce throw-away plastic such as bags, water bottles, carry-out containers, balloons, and straws by using environmentally friendly alternatives or by just not using these products.

“The world is drowning in plastic. Oceans and rivers are clogged with it, and a lot of the litter is made up of food and beverage containers,” said Elvia Thompson, President and Co-founder of Annapolis Green. “Since businesses in the hospitality industry touch residents and visitors alike, we are partnering with many of them at the start of this campaign because they can do a lot to keep our environment free of plastic by voluntarily changing some of their everyday practices. It’s one way to show their customers that they are good stewards of the environment.”

To help businesses get started, Annapolis Green will provide a toolkit and online resources, such as free social media promotion, newspaper advertisements and marketing tools, including recognition plaques and stickers. While the month-long campaign focuses on the hospitality sector to get the word out, all types of businesses – and individual residents — are invited to participate.

Plastic Free Annapolis is made possible by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration through the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Coastal Zone Management Office.

In 2018 Annapolis Green launched its “Don’t Suck. #SipResponsibly.” campaign by providing restaurants, bars and coffee shops with paper straws along with information about alternatives to plastic straws.

“When we started our campaign to do away with plastic straws we saw a wave of support on the part of restaurant patrons,” said Lynne Forsman, Annapolis Green Co-founder. “Restaurant managers were quick to sign on with either a ‘plastic straws upon request’ policy or a switch to paper or reusable straws, or no straw at all. They could see the tide turning against the 500 million plastic straws used and thrown away every day in the United States.”

In 2019, Annapolis Green expanded the campaign to all types of throw-away plastic, rebranding it as “It Starts with a Straw.” Now Annapolis Green and the City are teaming up in in a movement to change habits and reduce pollution at its source for a cleaner, more beautiful Annapolis, with hopes of building participation from businesses, residents and visitors. For information on how to participate in the campaign, see www.annapolisgreen.com.

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