We are happy to join the growing list of Outer Banks businesses who have been recognized as Ocean Friendly Establishments. Plastic Ocean Project has teamed with the North Carolina Aquarium Jennette’s Pier and the Surfrider Foundation OBX Chapter to encourage restaurants to only serve plastic straws upon request. Blue Water Grill & Raw Bar and Blue Moon Beach Grill are committed to the Skip the Straw movement and are now only using paper straws. 500 million straws are used in the U.S. each day. That is enough to circle the globe 2.5 times! Sadly, straws are proving deadly for our ocean life and are one of the top 10 ocean debris items found. We are hopeful that we can improve the plastic crisis one straw at a time.
What else are we doing for our environment?
Blue Water Grill also works with the North Carolina Coastal Federation to recycle our oyster shells. We shuck a lot of oysters and those shells can be put to good use! Not only are oysters delicious and one of our favorite foods to prepare at Blue Water, they are vital to our marine habitats and provide clean water filtration. For additional information on the oyster shell recycling process, please visit this link: http://www.nccoast.org/protect-the-coast/restore/oyster-habitat/
Through the Surfrider Foundation, the Blue Water crew has adopted the Hargrove Beach Access in South Nags Head. We schedule beach cleans regularly and encourage anyone who would like to join our efforts, to please come out and lend a hand!
Outer Banks residents and visitors appreciate our beautiful ocean, beaches, and the animals and vegetation that inhabit them. We are ocean minded and can work together to preserve our planet for future generations.
(Turtle photo courtesy of Cory Godwin Productions: www.corygodwin.com )