This summer has been a pretty damp one so far, which is why many people might be tempted to fly off overseas – unless a computer bug makes a mess of those plans too.
However, for those keen not to make a mess of anything, environmental considerations will be taken into account when heading off on holiday. The carbon footprint of a long flight is one thing; so too is the damage that can be caused when tourists or those catering for them fail to heed the old adage: “Take only pictures, leave only footprints”.
How Not Recycling Blights British Seaside Towns
For some, a holiday in the UK is still the thing to do in the summer, and for all the talk of seaside towns being in decline and sometimes rather grim, the fact is that millions will still flock to them in summer. Hopefully, the weather will be better and there will be sandcastles, rock pools, piers, cricket on the beach and, of course, fish and chips followed by ice cream.
However, concerns about the environment are never far away. Some beaches are not very clean and the waters of the sea nearby have on occasion been blighted by sewage, which became a significant issue before and during the recent general election campaign.
However, that is not the only problem people will encounter with the local environment. Littering can always create a mess, but it is so much worse when it is non-biodegradable.
We don’t need to see harrowing footage of a single-use straw being pulled out of the nose of an aquatic turtle to be aware of the damage this can do to marine life, but apart from that, it simply makes a mess. A rare find of treasure washed up from an old shipwreck will be fascinating. A drink can or bottle from 1993 won’t.
Worse still, nobody wants to find dead animals lying around on the beach, especially if they are rotting away and their skeletons are full of artificial things they have swallowed, which might have contributed to their early death.
How The Right Packaging Can Help
This is why using recyclable paper cups for drinks can be a great way of ensuring that today’s passing trade does not become the enduring waste of the next 900 years floating around the coastal waters, or washing up on the beach for years to come and making an almighty mess.
Not only will it biodegrade even if it is discarded carelessly, but by making it from recycled material, it will encourage the purchaser to dispose of it properly in a recycling bin.
This principle shouldn’t just apply to your soft drink cups, of course. It can be extended to other paper and card packaging for hot and cold food, as well as items like cutlery and straws, which can be made from wood and paper respectively.
Not only does this mean the beach will be cleaner, but so too will the streets. And everybody will gain from this. Littering, like the use of non-biodegradable materials, is a short-sighted action precisely because it harms the very environment that people have come to enjoy. That is why taking steps to avoid litter and pollution is an investment in the future.
Indeed, the very fact that your packaging might mention the words ‘recycled’ or ‘recycling’ can go a long way to acting as a reminder to your customers of the virtues and benefits of making sure they dispose of the packaging properly when they are finished with it.
For a street trader or fast food outlet, this is a must. After all, the tidier and cleaner your seaside town is, the better its reputation will be, the more visitors it will get and the more trade you will receive as a result.
How To Help Old And New Destinations Alike
It is true, of course, that reputations are hard won and easily lost for seaside towns. Traditional places like Blackpool are now looked down on by some, while places like have enjoyed a boost through new developments like the new Turner Contemporary Gallery in Margate.
Equally, some new hidden gems can see their reputation grow through positive coverage; it’s not hard to find lots of articles about the best seaside towns, many of which are not widely known. Good publicity is likely to bring more visitors and increase sales opportunities for vendors.
However, the benefits that this can bring will be limited if a beautiful, pristine beach becomes covered in litter and a picturesque seaside town is littered.
So, whether your outlet serves a traditional seaside town or you are opening up in an emerging new hotspot, having recyclable cups and other packaging will help keep the area beautiful, ensuring everyone can go on having a great time beside the seaside.