The Last Straw – Port Phillip SRP
Source Reduction Plan (SRP) Overview
Name of SRP
Partners Delivering the SRP
Acknowledgement of partners/organisations that helped implement the SRP and their key responsibilities.
(Local Council, other local government agencies, other community groups).
- Tangaroa Blue Foundation
- Port Melbourne Business Association
- Local Beach Patrol
- The Port Phillip EcoCentre
- and more
Location
Name the type of location; beach, school, CBD, industrial area and the town/city the SPR was implemented.
(For example, Woolworths carpark, Castletown, Townsville)
City of Port Phillip (CoPP)
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
Overall Goals & Background
Targeted Debris/Litter Item
Name of item or group of items being targeted in this SRP (For example, water bottles or recreational fishing gear)
Plastic Straws
Plastic straws are a common type of litter in the City of Port Phillip.
Why is the SRP needed?
As a result of the City of Port Philip (CoPP) Source Reduction Plan workshop in 2017, there was a clear community concern to reduce this form of marine debris.
Participants wanted to use the template from The Last Straw and implement it locally. The project objective was to reduce plastic straw litter by engaging with cafes and bars in the City of Port Philip and replacing their plastic straws with paper ones, to reduce the impact of straw pollution.
Logistics
General Timeline
How long did it take?
Include audits, installation/distribution of materials, SRP completion & reporting.
2017/2018 – Initial 3-month trial
Ongoing – similar initiatives launched by Port Phillip Council
Measuring Success
How did you measure the success of the
SRP?
Some examples include:
– How did you measure/show the reduction of litter, through data collection?
– How many assets were created and distributed?
– Targeted audience (what type of audience were reached and how many people? How was this measured?)
– How did you measure community engagement?
A representative from Beach Patrol (a local community group that targets marine litter) approached 9 cafes to take part in a trial of replacing plastic straws with paper ones (supplied by the project) for 2-3 months, followed by a cost-benefit analysis. Each café agreed to take part.
Each café was given 1000 paper straws, 3 x A5 flyers outlining the initiative and trial, and asked to place the straws out of sight – only offering the paper straws when requested.
Extra funding was harnessed from Beach Patrol and Port Philip Council to purchase more paper straws so a further 6 cafes were brought on board.
Data Collection & Reporting
What methodology did you use to collect
the data?
How was the data recorded and shared?
(For example, audits, survey frequency, AMDI Database) Include evidence of the methodology used relevant to your type of location. Monitoring Methodology – Tangaroa Blue
Exposure for participating cafes was done by taking photos of the café staff holding a cup of paper straws with the café name on one of their boards in the background. These pictures were posted on Instagram and Facebook with a #lastplasticstraw hashtag.
Results and Reflections
Positive Outcomes
What was the outcome of your SMART goal?
– Was there a reduction in targeted debris/ litter?
– What assets were created/how many were distributed?
– Did you reach your targeted audience and how was the community engaged?
Include website links and social media platforms
A local newspaper article highlighted the initiative and created more positive press for those participating establishments.
Overall, most cafes (3/4) were happy to continue to use paper straws provided a reliable stockist was put forward.
Funding
What did the SRP cost?
– Cash fundings for asset creation and implementation
– What In-kind funding support did you receive from partners/organisations?
Extra funding was harnessed from Beach Patrol and Port Philip Council to purchase more paper straws so a further 6 cafes were brought on board.
Challenges & Improvements
What challenges did you face during the SRP?
– How were these addressed and adapted to?
What could be improved if this SRP was to be replicated?
The project did encounter some challenges along the way, larger cafes went through their supply much faster, and if the project team did not continue to supply paper straws they would default back to plastic as demand warranted. This meant more time spent visiting cafes every 2 weeks and following up than anticipated.
Also, café staff are very time-poor so sometimes didn’t hide the straws as requested. It is more efficient to simply provide straws with drinks so that staff do not have to revisit tables repeatedly, even though hiding straws drastically reduces costs.
Future Opportunities
What were some additional positive outcomes?
Is your SRP still in action?
(For example, have any partners/organisations, Local Council, agencies, or community groups continued to implement your SRP?)
Include website links & social media
This model is now being rolled out in other Phillip Bay council areas.
