Port eateries join Plastic-Free July

Continued from Page 4 with customers loving the program andthe restaurant is looking towards continuing the initiative past the month of July.

Wood said this campaign and the organization’s plastic-free initiative are for the purpose of advocating for human health.

As a science-based organization, Wood said Grassroots Environmental Education is constantly conducting research.

Leading up to the campaign, Wood said the nonproft’s research found most takeout orders are being delivered to residences. This means that for many people, they already have cutlery and condiments in their homes.

“These are non-essential things that are going into every take-out food order,” Wood said.

Plastics omitted from the takeout orders include straws, cutlery and condiment packets.

Environmentally conscious replacements are also being used, including restaurant packaging supplies and carry-out bags. Grassroots Environmental Education is providing all participating restaurants with a BioBag.

Wood said that plastics are toxic at varying levels, including during plastic production and in use, with research showing that humans and other living beings now have levels of nanoplastics, or minuscule plastic fragments, in their bodies. These plastics are not only found in humans but also in plants and water supplies.

“And do we know what the long-term impact of this is? No, we just haven’t done enough medical research to actually understand,” Wood said.

She said many of the chemicals used to make plastics are known carcinogens and toxins for humans.

“We’re in a really, really existential problem right now and we are really at a turning point,” Wood said.

She said that none of the methods of disposing of plastics are viable as they contribute to the plastics pollution in our environment.

Plastic-Free July is instead showing people the best solution, which is simply fnding alternatives to plas- tics and ultimately ending the production of them.

This is the frst Plastic-Free July campaign hosted by the nonproft, which is kicking of in Port Washington. It is inspired by legislative actions, some taken in New York City and in Westchester County, called Skip the Stuf laws that prohibit food establishments from providing single-use plastics unless requested by the customer.

Nassau County does not have any Skip the Stuf laws enacted.

So while the Plastic-Free July campaign is focused at a hyperlocal lev-

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She said working on this exhibit was the perfect opportunity to combine the personal and professional aspects of her life.

Michelle Brown was able to use those experiences to curate her grandfather’s exhibit, creating general themes for the categories in the show.

She said her favorite section is the winter scenes, which feature a strong purple color palette.

Michelle Brown said she is hoping that her grandfather’s exhibit will bring a smile to people’s faces and inspire other ordinary people in the pursuit of their passions like Abe Brown.

“I think it also makes a more minor statement that we don’t have to take this all so seriously,” Michelle Brown said. “This should be a happy and joyful moment.”

The paintings in the exhibit are for sale, but Jamie Brown said there are no set prices. He said they will consider reasonable prices proposed in order to share the love and appreciation of Abe Brown’s art.

The Library will be hosting an ofcial opening of the exhibit on Saturday from 1:30-3 p.m. that will be accessible to the public.