Plastics not so fantastic for Kerry artisan butcher
Kerry artisan butcher Peter Curran was so moved by a documentary on the toxic effect of plastic on our oceans that he gave single-use plastics the chop in his own business.
After watching A Plastic Ocean, which documents how plastics dumped in the sea break down and enter the food chain, he decided to encourage his customers to bring their own containers rather than use bags when buying meat.
He thought the measure would be good for the environment, but it had another unexpected advantage — it was also good for business at The Well-Bred Butcher in Ardfert, north Kerry.
The interest has been heartening, he says, estimating that up to 20% of clients now bring their own containers.
“I put the container on the weighing scales and set it to zero, then weigh the meat,” he says.
It all began as an experiment five months ago when Curran put some Tupperware containers on the counter to gauge interest among customers. When people asked why they were there, he told them he was trying to encourage plastic-free shopping.
It was an instant success.
The artisan butcher had already switched to biodegradable plastic bags and he doesn’t give those out unless somebody asks for them. He no longer uses polystyrene trays either and stocks biodegradable fibre boards made by Be Green Packaging.
“It’s more expensive by about 50%, but I think it’s worth it,” he says.
He saw first hand what happens when pollution runs out of control. Before he set up his butcher’s shop four years ago, he ran a furniture business which brought him on frequent trips to Jepara in central Java, Indonesia. There, he saw waves of plastic being washed up on a beautiful beach, just one manifestation of the 8m tonnes of plastic that are dumped in the ocean every year.
“I hope they will ban single-use plastic or make it much more expensive,” Curran tells Feelgood.
In the meantime, taking simple steps, such as bringing your own container, can help to make a big difference.
“I would love to see people going around with their baskets again,” he says, encouraging other food outlets to ask customers to bring their own bags.
“Just fold up a plastic bag and put it in your purse. Very simple steps can make a big difference.”
Curran takes pride in the fact his food miles are very low. He raises his own sheep, buys beef from the surrounding farms, and produces honey from his own bees.
A chirpy, chalked message in the shop reads: ‘You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy local and that’s kind of the same’.
Killowen, a family farm in Wexford that has been in the Dunne family for over 200 years, also takes pride in keeping it local.
Yoghurt is produced from “the happy herd of dairy cows that graze the fields here”, as they put it, and all fruit is sourced locally when possible.
Now Killowen Farm is taking steps to reduce its carbon footprint with the introduction of a range of yogurts that come in 100% recyclable glass jars. “Sustainability and the environment are of utmost importance to us,” says Pauline Dunne, sales and marketing manager at Killowen Farm.
“All of our glass jars can be recycled in your glass bin and the metal lids and paper labels can be placed in your household recycling bin, ensuring our new product is very environmentally friendly.”
As members of Origin Green, Ireland’s food and drink sustainability programme, the farm is always looking at ways to reduce plastic packaging and become more sustainable, she says, explaining the decision to trial glass jars.
Dunne says retailers were also looking for new product development in packaging and there was a growing awareness among consumers. “We have received a number of emails and phone calls from our customers over the past year regarding our use of plastic packaging and our future plans.”
Those plans involve looking at ways to reduce plastic packaging and investigating compostable food packagings, such as sugar cane, cellulose, vegetable oil, and starches.
It will be an ongoing project but reaction from customers so far has been overwhelmingly positive, she says.
