Outrage brews after café decision: 'It’s behaviour from the 1960s'
- Replies 1
A seemingly minor decision at a popular local café has ignited a wave of outrage, leaving customers and community members alike questioning the motivations behind the change.
What was meant to be a simple adjustment in operations has instead become a focal point for a broader debate on sustainability, community values, and business responsibility.
As tensions rise, the fallout from this decision could leave lasting consequences for the café and its relationship with loyal patrons.
A café in Western Australia has sparked criticism after revealing it would serve all drinks, excluding alcohol, in disposable cups only.
Surfing Lizard Café, located in Coogee and Secret Harbour, announced the decision in December, citing staff shortages as the reason for the move.
The announcement quickly drew backlash from locals concerned about the environmental impact of using single-use cups.
‘You only have to look at a place like Bali to realise giving customers disposable cups is going to cause issues,’ one person shared.
Another one said: ‘It’s behaviour from the 1960s when people didn’t give a s***.’
Another resident said the decision was out of touch with the community’s values: ‘We live on a beautiful stretch of coastline, and it’s disappointing that a business operating so close to our ocean isn’t concerned about the sustainability of serving everyone using disposable cups,’ a woman commented.
A few defended the café’s choice, with one woman claiming it would be a temporary measure.
However, others remained unconvinced.
‘The disposable cups add to landfill, and I don’t see why you would really need to use them exclusively,’ one said.
‘If you can serve coffee in a reusable mug, why wouldn’t you,’ another added.
Images of the area near the café showed council bins overflowing with single-use cups, some scattered on walkways along the Secret Harbour foreshore.
There was no suggestion that all the litter came from the Surfing Lizard Café.
Last year, Western Australia became the first state to ban plastic-lined takeaway cups, with the changes introduced in March.
Cafés found not complying with the ban could face significant fines.
WA Environment Minister Reece Whitby stated that businesses could instead use compostable paperboard cups, which are excluded from the ban, or encourage customers to bring their own reusable cups.
‘This is an excellent move for the environment because we know that plastic persists in the environment for decades and decades and decades,’ he said.
The ban on plastic-lined cups was part of a broader initiative by the Cook government to reduce single-use plastics in the state.
Other prohibited items included disposable plastic food trays without lids, such as sushi and bento boxes.
Further restrictions were introduced in 2023, including bans on micro-beads and cotton bud sticks.
By September, plastic produce bags and takeaway containers with lids will also be banned.
Mr Whitby estimated the new laws would prevent over a billion single-use plastic items, including 154 million coffee cups, from ending up in landfill annually.
With environmental concerns at the forefront, can businesses truly balance convenience with responsibility? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
What was meant to be a simple adjustment in operations has instead become a focal point for a broader debate on sustainability, community values, and business responsibility.
As tensions rise, the fallout from this decision could leave lasting consequences for the café and its relationship with loyal patrons.
A café in Western Australia has sparked criticism after revealing it would serve all drinks, excluding alcohol, in disposable cups only.
Surfing Lizard Café, located in Coogee and Secret Harbour, announced the decision in December, citing staff shortages as the reason for the move.
The announcement quickly drew backlash from locals concerned about the environmental impact of using single-use cups.
‘You only have to look at a place like Bali to realise giving customers disposable cups is going to cause issues,’ one person shared.
Another one said: ‘It’s behaviour from the 1960s when people didn’t give a s***.’
Another resident said the decision was out of touch with the community’s values: ‘We live on a beautiful stretch of coastline, and it’s disappointing that a business operating so close to our ocean isn’t concerned about the sustainability of serving everyone using disposable cups,’ a woman commented.
A few defended the café’s choice, with one woman claiming it would be a temporary measure.
However, others remained unconvinced.
‘The disposable cups add to landfill, and I don’t see why you would really need to use them exclusively,’ one said.
‘If you can serve coffee in a reusable mug, why wouldn’t you,’ another added.
Images of the area near the café showed council bins overflowing with single-use cups, some scattered on walkways along the Secret Harbour foreshore.
There was no suggestion that all the litter came from the Surfing Lizard Café.
Last year, Western Australia became the first state to ban plastic-lined takeaway cups, with the changes introduced in March.
Cafés found not complying with the ban could face significant fines.
WA Environment Minister Reece Whitby stated that businesses could instead use compostable paperboard cups, which are excluded from the ban, or encourage customers to bring their own reusable cups.
‘This is an excellent move for the environment because we know that plastic persists in the environment for decades and decades and decades,’ he said.
The ban on plastic-lined cups was part of a broader initiative by the Cook government to reduce single-use plastics in the state.
Other prohibited items included disposable plastic food trays without lids, such as sushi and bento boxes.
Further restrictions were introduced in 2023, including bans on micro-beads and cotton bud sticks.
By September, plastic produce bags and takeaway containers with lids will also be banned.
Mr Whitby estimated the new laws would prevent over a billion single-use plastic items, including 154 million coffee cups, from ending up in landfill annually.
With environmental concerns at the forefront, can businesses truly balance convenience with responsibility? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
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