It’s that time of year: painting the town red and indulging in a drink (or a few) is not only encouraged, but expected. However, our penchant for wining and dining during the silly season isn’t only having an effect on our wallets (and heads) the morning after, it’s also harmful to the environment. Food, drink, plastic, cardboard and glass wastage is a huge issue in the hospitality industry and a lot of what we’re not consuming is being poured down the drain – or worse – ending up in the landfill.
The question is: what can we do as consumers to reduce our amount of wastage when getting on the sauce? According to award-winning mixologist and owner of Sydney cocktail bar PS40 Michael Chiem, “not opting for straws is a pretty good start.”
“Most people I know don’t drink using a straw at home, but when they go out to bars, for some reason they feel like they need to,” he said. Most of the drinks at PS40 are designed to be drunk without a straw, but for those with crushed ice or heavy garnishes, Chiem’s team offers reusable polypropylene straws – or you can always BYO. “If you’re really desperate, I have a few friends who bring their own straws around to bars.”
How you treat your sticky pub coasters can also make a big difference when it comes to sustainable drinking. “People at bars love to rip up coasters,” Chiem says. “Maybe you’re a little nervous or fidgety… but it’s the one thing consumers can keep an eye on.”
The team at PS40 use and reuse coasters, however most can be passed around about three or four times before they end up getting thrown out. “We’re working on a new coaster than can be more reusable, but at the same time offer a really great experience,” Chiem says.
While Chiem adds that traditional bars like Sydney’s Baxter Inn would churn through napkins on an average night, they’re actually pretty handy. “Napkins tell other bartenders that the people in front of them are already being served – it’s an indicator that their drinks are coming,” he explains. “If we finish the drinks, the bartenders use those napkins to wipe condensation off the bar top and make sure it’s nice for the next person. Or you might be chewing on something or need to blow your nose.”
As for what to order, Chiem says ‘the perfect serve’ – when you’re offered a 200ML bottle of soda with your spirit – is the most wasteful kind of drink. “It’s guaranteed to be fizzy and you can adjust how much soda you want in your drink because you pour it yourself, but that little glass bottle isn’t going to get reused.”
“At nice, premium cocktail bars it’s almost a prerequisite to have those little soda bottles,” he says. “Pouring from a 2 litre Coca Cola bottle isn’t very premium.” At PS40, Chiem and his team make and keg all their sodas on site. “As a consumer [the perfect serve] is really nice, but at the end of the shift when I’m taking out the bin, it’s significantly lighter.”
For Chiem, being conscious about wastage comes from caring about our planet, but it’s also a product of his upbringing. “My parents came across from Vietnam with absolutely nothing and they would yell at me if I ever wasted food or didn’t appreciate what was put on the table,” he explained. “Now as a business owner I care about our profit margins, but making something delicious out of nothing is actually quite a cool challenge.”
Staying in and trying your hand at a bit of DIY sustainable drinking? Chiem suggests keeping the brine in your olive jar. “If you’re making an Absolut South Side, or any sort of drink with citrus, mint and cucumber, put a little splash of olive brine in there.”
“We use it like salt to ‘season’ the drink – a little will heighten the flavours.”
Chiem and the team at PS40 aren’t the only ones attempting to make a difference when it comes to wastage and sustainable drinking – some of your favourite booze brands are on board as well.
Absolut Vodka make bottles from more than 41% recycled glass, put less than 1% of production waste into landfills, have one of the most energy-efficient distilleries in the world, plant trees to offset carbon emissions and use approximately 65% renewable energy at facilities. Not bad for one of the world’s leading vodka brands.
Now go forth, splash that olive brine, BYO straw, enjoy the sustainable drinking and good karma.