What do the following New Hampshire restaurants have in common?: Common Roots Cafe (Rye, NH), Stoneface Brewing Co. (Newington, NH), Tideline Brewing House (Durham, NH), Flatbread Company (Portsmouth, NH), Carriage House (Rye, NH), and White Heron Tea and Coffee Company (Portsmouth, NH).
It’s true that they all serve delicious food, but these six restaurants deserve special recognition because they have qualified as Ocean Friendly Restaurants through the Surfrider Foundation.
What is an Ocean Friendly Restaurant (“OFR”)? Any restaurant can qualify as an OFR if they meet the list of criteria posted on the Surfrider website surfrider.org/ofr. Seven mandatory criteria include: only reusable foodware is used for onsite dining; paper straws are provided only upon request; no expanded polystyrene (aka Styrofoam) is used; no plastic bags are used for takeout or to-go orders; single-use utensils, straws, condiments, and other accessory items are provided only upon request; beverages are not sold in plastic bottles; and proper recycling practices are followed.
According to one 2020 study published in the journal Science, plastic waste is entering our ocean at the rate of about 11 million metric tons per year. And according to data collected by the Surfrider Foundation New Hampshire Chapter at our monthly beach clean-ups, much of the litter found on the NH seacoast is single-use foodware such as plastic cups, utensils, and straws. By becoming OFRs, local restaurants can lead the way to a healthier and cleaner future for our local beaches and global oceans.
The program is free to join. Any restaurant that might need a bit of assistance to meet the OFR criteria can contact the local New Hampshire chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, whose volunteers are ready and excited to help!
Why become an OFR? Certified OFR restaurants enjoy many benefits, including: use of OFR logos for restaurant menus, websites, and other marketing materials; listing of the restaurant on Surfrider national and New Hampshire chapter websites, access to national vendor discounts on sustainable restaurant products, and more. However, the best reason to become an OFR is to take part in protecting New Hampshire’s coastal communities and marine environments. RJ Joyce, co-owner of The Carriage House, agrees. When asked about his restaurant’s participation in the OFR program, Joyce told us: “We have the great fortune of looking at the Ocean while we work, giving us a constant reminder of the responsibility of being good stewards to our Coastline. We take a lot of pride in our local sourcing. From the ingredients that we choose, to the methods we use."
The changes may be simple, but the collective impact is huge. Please consider becoming an OFR today (or ask about it at your favorite local lunch spot)! Anyone interested in learning more about Ocean Friendly Restaurants can contact the Surfrider Foundation New Hampshire Chapter at ofr@nh.surfrider.org
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Lau, W.W.Y. & Shiran, Y., et al. 2020. Evaluating scenarios toward zero plastic pollution. Science