Our planet is dying and we humans are the reason why. We have become a wasteful society with the uptick of our use of plastics.
Our environment is fully showing us the harm we are doing. As of this posting the number of Orca left in Puget Sound, Washington have reached a new 30 year low. The population is currently 25, and most of us saw the story of the Orca named Tahlequah who carried her dead baby around for 17 days.
Plastics and other pollutants are the reason for their demise. Their prey eats litter and this affects the way Orca are able to fight disease.
Many restaurants are going strawless, which is a great start. I’m honored to be able to share with you the work that Lessing’s Hospitality Group is doing to help save our planet.
Lessing’s Hospitality Group (LHG), a Long Island based company, has joined the international movement and gone “strawless” in their restaurants. They now offer renewable and compostable straws as a replacement of traditional plastic.
In conjunction, LHG has partnered with and is now serving Naked Turtle Rum. Each bottle of the rum that is sold helps save a baby sea turtle! Each restaurant is offering specialty cocktails, including – the Tipsy Turtle, Naked Turtle Rum Punch and the Ninja Turtle!
A few other things that LHG is doing:
– plastic stirrers have been replaced with 100% natural white birch wood stirrers
– brown paper bags replace plastic bags
– used crayons are donated to the “Crayon Initiative”
#SkipTheStraw with Lessing’s Hospitality Group
(Great River, NY … September 2018) Lessing’s Hospitality Group, one of the region’s most innovative industry leaders, has joined the international movement and gone “strawless” in an effort to preserve the environment. The group’s ten restaurants now offer 100% compostable straws and bio-degradable beverage stirrers only at the request of guests. Plastic straws and stirrers are no longer available.
“Long Island is known for its beautiful beaches and scenic water views. It’s also what our family calls home,” says Michael Lessing, President and Chief Operating Officer. “Our efforts to #SkipTheStraw are a small gesture in the monumental movement. Each bit makes a difference and we’re proud to do our part.”
Eight of the group’s restaurants now offer renewable and compostable straws that are made from PLA, a plant-based plastic. Each is 100% renewable, BPI certified compostable and ASTM compliant. These straws are available at Finnegan’s (Huntington), Maxwell’s (Islip), Mirabelle Tavern (Stony Brook), Post Office Café (Babylon), Restaurant Mirabelle (Stony Brook), Sandbar (Cold Spring Harbor), Southside Bar and Restaurant (Bay Shore), and VIEW (Oakdale). Two of the group’s restaurants, Library Café (Farmingdale) and Hatch (Huntington), are offering “Hay Straws.” The 100% biodegradable wheat drinking straws are made of hand-selected, natural wheat stems and are minimally processed. All properties have transitioned to the use of wooden stirrers, that replace the plastic, that are 100% natural white birch wood and are biodegradable.
To celebrate the start of the new campaign, Lessing’s Hospitality Group is hosting their annual “Save The Beaches” beach cleanup on Saturday, September 29th. From 9 to 11 a.m., Lessing’s team members, family, friends and community members will clean trash left at Gilgo Beach in Babylon.
ABOUT LESSING’S, INC.
Lessing’s Hospitality Group is a sixth generation, family-owned and family-operated food service and hospitality business. The company was founded in 1890 by Maxwell Lessing and is operated to this day by 15 family members. This highly diversified company feeds more than 40,000-guests per day at over 100 corporate, educational, country club, and manufacturing plant locations throughout the Northeast. Lessing’s also operates 17 high-end wedding and catering venues, ten full-service restaurants, a historic hotel, and holds a franchise agreement with Blaze Fast Fire’d Pizza to develop the chain of pizza restaurants in the tristate area.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE COCKTAILS AND BARS INVOLVED IN THIS INITIATIVE.
MIRABELLE TAVERN- RUM PUNCH
MIRABELLE TAVERN- TIPSY TURTLE
SANDBAR-TURTLE DOVE
