Dear LMC Supporter,
Recently the Town of Jupiter has garnered a lot of media regarding a proposed plastic straw ban.
Jupiter has a Beach Committee, this group is a body of citizens who help the Jupiter Town Council advocate for our local beaches. After two very well attended Beach Committee meetings, and a vote from the committee, the Palm Beach Post published the following article>>
The article was written in a way that might make readers think that the recent meeting and vote by the beach committee dealt a sad defeat to reducing plastic straws in Jupiter, this is not necessarily true.
The Beach Committee is tasked with providing a recommendation to the Jupiter Town Council and the Beach Committee had two options to evaluate:
Option 1: A ordinance:
Outlawing plastic straws in Jupiter which would require the Town of Jupiter to singularly educate, enforce and fine businesses serving plastic straws.
Option 2: A resolution:
To ban/reduce plastic straws. This option offers a strong statement which endorses reducing single use plastic straws in Jupiter however, it does not carry with it a fine. The benefit of a resolution is that it allows a multi-faceted group of stakeholders to engage and educate our residents, guests, and business community in partnership with the Town.
What is Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s stance?
We support multiple initiatives to reduce single use plastics. In this particular instance, the ordinance which was given to the Beach Committee was not ideal as it did not give the business community enough time to migrate away from the plastic straw.
Does this mean LMC does not support the straw ban?
LMC does support straw bans however, we didn’t feel the language in the drafted ordinance submitted to the Beach Committee was ideal.
The community spoke, the Beach Committee voted and LMC supports the Beach Committee’s recommendation to the Jupiter Town Council to create a resolution which will help to reduce the use of single use plastic straws in Jupiter.
What happens next?
The Beach Committee is not responsible for next steps. The recommendation from the Beach Committee is now in the hands of the Jupiter Town Council. The Town Council will now start to discuss the resolution and how to officially proceed.
LMC will now move forward in hopes of educating all Jupiter Town Council members to ensure they are up to speed and aware of the many benefits of reducing single-use plastic straws (and other single use plastics too!).
We thank the Beach Committee and all who are involved in this important conversation. We encourage everyone to continue speaking with elected officials about improving the health of our planet through smart, thoughtful, and collaborative conversations.
Warm Regards,
Jack E. Lighton
President & CEO