Summit Gathers Business Owners to Ditch Single Use Plastic

The fifth annual Take Care Cape Cod summit wants to help tourism and food service businesses transition to sustainable serviceware.

"This year we have a lot of participation because it is very timely. We have really peaked their interest by offering to bring organizations together to find solutions together and to collaborate."

– Jill Talladay

Executive Director CARE For The Cape and islands

What is the Take Care Cape Cod Summit?

The fifth annual Take Care Cape Cod summit wants to help tourism and food service businesses transition to sustainable serviceware. During the day-long regional event in Harwich, the organization and local businesses shared pilot programs and approaches that deliver both business and environmental sense.

Creating A Responsible Environment for the Cape & Islands (CARE) joined with the Center for Coastal Studies and the Cape Cod Anti-Litter Coalition to produce this year's edition of the annual event. The summit theme for 2023 – The Rising Tide of Plastic Pollution: Sustainable Business Solutions – represents CARE's three year project to create a coalition supporting local businesses in putting an end to the use of plastic food service ware. Jill Talladay, Executive Director of CARE says the summit theme proved especially timely this year,  given the addition of Yarmouth and Harwich to the growing roster of town with bylaws that prohibit single use plastic.

What happened at the Take Care Cape Cod summit this year?

The 204 Cultural Arts Municipal Building in Harwich was abuzz with business owners, town representatives, NGOs and chambers of commerce , all gathered to share successful experiences and find new solutions to halt the use of plastic food service ware. A record number of people attended this year's summit on November 9 and Talladay said she was hopeful that the high turnout would lead to successful collaborations for the climate.

How is the summit contributing towards reducing plastic on the Cape?

The audience and the speakers engaged in discussions about already-proven strategies in switching from plastic to sustainable material, as well as other ways to successfully turn businesses environmentally friendly in a financially sustainable way. Mac Hay, owner of Mac's Seafood, shared his success story, acknowledging that business owners may feel challenged in the fight against climate change but that every step - however small - helps.

What happens after the summit?

Post-summit goals include gathering the summit attendees in quarterly meetings to keep the discussions going and to support each other's efforts in moving beyond plastic. CARE also plans to bring additional educational programs and guest speakers as well as reaching out to engage with those who were unable to participate in the summit.

For more information:

Yarmouth bans single use plastic water bottles

Harwich bans plastic food containers and utensils

CARE For The Cape and Islands