Summer is here, and that means outdoor parties, celebrations and gatherings — Harbour Nights, Beermuda, Carnival and Cup Match to name a few, along with the Living Green Expo to look forward to in September. There is one downside to some of these events, however, and that’s litter. When the event ends, the waste created remains — plastic cups, plates, cutlery and packaging, which are strewn across the area and water, plus mountains of bagged trash awaiting removal.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Two events in particular — Beermuda and the Living Green Expo — are leading the way in demonstrating how it is possible to have outdoor fun, with reduced waste and plastic-free. You just need to know how.

Successful plastic-free events

To start with, food and drink does not need to be served in plastic. Bermuda Craft Brewing, the brilliant minds behind Beermuda, import sturdy aluminium cups, which can be refilled, recycled or reused. They come in two shapes: beer mug and cocktail cup. They also have 6oz glass tasting glasses.

At Beermuda 2025, they are providing rinsing stations so no one should need more than one or two cups. If they don’t want to take their aluminium ones home, recycling bins will be on hand to dispose of them wisely. The government Waste Management Section can provide recycling bins for events, free of charge.

At the Living Green Expo, organised by environmental pioneer Eugene Dean, of Greenrock, they provided glass glasses, mason jars, china plates, ceramic mugs and metal cutlery to all the food and beverage vendors, as well as tables and chairs for customers to sit on.

They didn’t stop there. They also had a commercial dishwashing area set up, rented from Take Five Catering. Once loaded, it washed and dried its contents in 90 seconds! There was a drop-off area for diners to leave their trays, and volunteers to help clear the tables and redistribute clean tableware back to the vendors.

All forms of plastic were banned from these events and every business successfully found a way to provide their wares, plastic-free. There were condiment pumping stations instead of those annoying little sachets. There were refilling stations for water bottles. Where needed, cutlery was wooden or bamboo, plates were also made from bamboo or paper, containers were cardboard, and straws were food-grade silicone. Only canned, aluminium or glass-bottled drinks were sold, so containers could be recycled.

They were also mindful of greenwashing, where products claim to be environmentally friendly by using words such as “compostable”, “biodegradable” or “made from starch”. Unless they are made from fibre, they usually are not what they claim to be. Either they are just another form of plastic or they may be lined with plastic.

Happy customers

Both event organisers reported that, where needed, vendors easily found plastic alternatives, and attendees enjoyed that they were supporting sustainable events. Particularly popular were the Bermuda Craft Brewing aluminium cups because of their sturdiness.

At Living Green Expo, where they set up tables and chairs for diners to enjoy their meals, they created more of a community feel. Friends and family could sit around together. Those on their own struck up conversations with new acquaintances. The event brought people together.

Then, when the events were over, and the tents, tables, chairs and equipment cleared away, all that was left was squashed grass, a few crumbs and happy memories. The overall amount of waste generated was also greatly reduced.

Call to action

This is a call to action for anyone organising events and celebrations this summer and beyond. Being plastic-free is possible, and in the longer term it will save you money, protect our environment and keep us healthier.

We are also calling for the Government to invest in and support plastic-free initiatives by offering duty relief on plastic alternatives, and providing more drinking-water fountains and filling stations in public places — thereby incentivising event organisers to use sustainable, environmentally friendly and healthier alternatives. We would also like to see more recycling bins available in all public places to encourage this habit, especially in our parks and government buildings.

Bermuda’s organisations could even consider collective buying for outdoor entertainment, providing a single source for Bermuda-branded reusable cups, tableware and containers. Collaboration and bulk-buying would bring down the costs. Bermuda-themed reusable cups could be designed and, done right, would be coveted by tourists as well as residents, who could bring them back to their next event. Renting reusable glasses or cups is also a great alternative.

Real cost of plastic

When considering plastic alternatives, it is essential to understand that the initial monetary cost is false. Buying a plastic product over an aluminium or paper one might seem cheaper at the outset, but what about the disposal, health and environmental costs of a product that cannot be reused or recycled?

Even when disposed of properly, plastic ends up in the incinerator, which, when burned, can release toxic fumes into the air we breathe. It also releases greenhouse gases, worsening climate change. If it is dumped on the ground or in the water, it pollutes our environment, and endangers our wildlife and our own health.

The World Wildlife Fund estimates that the true cost of plastic is ten times the initial cost. It can be extrapolated from US studies that the cost of plastic-related compounds to Bermuda’s healthcare system is $40 million.

The chemicals in plastic have been linked to diabetes, obesity and a wide variety of fertility issues and cancers. These chemicals can leach into food and drink, which has been served in plastic, especially if it is hot. Think how much lower our healthcare costs could be in the future without these health conditions. This figure also excludes the tragic human costs of these illnesses.

Other costs that need to be considered are the huge number of Keep Bermuda Beautiful hours spent picking up litter, the costs to tourism, and the potential costs to fisheries as a result of plastic dropped in our waters.

Is it fair that people have to spend time picking up litter imported at a profit by companies that can just walk away from their shared responsibilities?

It is, therefore, far cheaper to avoid plastic in the first place than to pay for the environmental and health consequences of plastic pollution.

Bermuda, let’s work together to make all events plastic-free. If we don’t, all of us will pay a very high price.

Changing habits is hard. If you need any support to reduce your use of single-use plastic, Beyond Plastic is here to help. Please visit our website, beyondplastic.bm or e-mail us at mailto:info@beyondplastic.bm

• Erich Hetzel is a local environmentalist and member of Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce. Katie Berry is a local environmentalist and a Beyond Plastic champion