Port eateries join Plastic-Free July

Continued from Page 2 know that climate change is upon us. They know that plastics are part of the problem, that plastic production creates a lot of greenhouse gases.”

This includes participating restaurant Amalf at 49 Old Shore Rd. in Port Washington.

Owner Rafaele Semia said they think the campaign is a great idea and he was willing to participate in it. He said it has been going well, 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 in- clude 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. Plas- tic-Free July is instead showing people the best solution, which is simply fnding alternatives to plastics 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 level, Wood said their intent is to propel the issue to a higher level such as the county Legislature.

Wood said the organization has already provided sample legislation to diminish the use of plastics to a Nassau County legislator and is planning to meet with a Sufolk County legislator to provide the same legislation for both counties to consider.

“We could actually do this like Westchester did and like New York City did,” Wood said. “Why not do this island-wide?”

She said she has been collaborating with the center’s senior leadership team to utilize their experience and understand the long-term goals for the JCC overall.

“I don’t want it to be my vision, it has to be our vision,” Waldbaum said. Waldbaum is also welcomed into her new position alongside new treasurer Jef Buslik and assistant treasurer Rita Levy.

“There is nothing the Sid Jacobson JCC can’t obtain because we have been blessed throughout my tenure with a stellar group of staf members who all are passionate about what they do and have real vision and drive,” Waldbaum said. “And that works in tandem with the 30+ board members who also are passionate and are driven and are focused. We all come to the JCC from diferent perspectives, but at the end of the day the unifying goal that the staf and the board share is that we are passionate about the work that happens within our building and outside of our building, and we are committed to making it stronger, better and continuing to grow.”