#OutlawTheStraw: Local eatery isn't 'chicken' about saving the environment
Afro's Chicken is a local eatery that has decided to do away with the straw and join the #OutlawTheStraw movement.
Afro's Chicken loves this land and wants future generations to also be able to enjoy this amazing country, but they've realised that it starts with them. They are born and bred in Durban, so the ocean is very close to their heart. Being responsible is at the heart of everything they do: from the way they prepare foods, the way they source products, and the impact they have on the environment.
That’s why Afro's have decided to be even more eco-friendly, over and above the recycling that they were already encouraging people to do in their shops. So they identified all the single-use plastics that they had in their shops: the first and simplest item was straws. It wasn’t a difficult decision, and it wasn’t difficult to implement either – you just have to do it!
Read - #OutlawTheStraw: East Coast Breakfast attempts to save the oceans
In June 2017, they removed plastic straws for good. At the time they were using ±5000 straws per month, which doesn’t sound like a lot, considering that billions of plastic straws that are ending up in our oceans each year, but in 12 months they managed to save 60,000 single-use plastic straws from ending up in our oceans!
Afro's are very proud to be able to encourage other businesses to remove straws. They've been pleasantly surprised at how well received the switch from single-use plastics has been. Each time they've announced a new plastic item that’s been swapped for an eco alternative, they've received such great positive feedback from not only customers but other establishments as well. They want to keep pushing forward and hopefully, one day can be fully single-use-plastic-free.
Their hope is that Durbanites – whether they own a business or not – are made aware of the impact that an item as small as a plastic straw can have on the environment. The Afro's team are always excited when they see another restaurant or business which has ditched straws. They are always willing to help others on the journey, so just drop them a message!