New Year, new you, new ban on single-use plastic bags goes city-wide in Charleston SC! Beginning on New Year’s Day 2020, a new ban on single-use plastic products expands into Charleston, growing the eco-friendly efforts of our local communities including the city of Charleston, Charleston County and the town of James Island. No longer can you carry out beverages and food in styrofoam containers, no more plastic straws to pierce cup lids, and no more plastic bags for carrying out groceries.
If you’ve vacationed on Folly Beach in the last three years, you’ve already experienced these changes firsthand. After leading the movement to reduce plastic waste in our environment, the efforts are now spreading into the entirety of Charleston County, covering an area that reaches from Edisto Beach at its southernmost tip, to the idyllic town of McClellenville at its northern edge. According to the new law, all disposable products will have to be recyclable or compostable, including straws and stirrers. At area grocery stores, while they will no longer be bagging in single-use plastic bags, you won’t be charged for the use of different bags.
Rest assured that while these new changes won’t drastically effect your vacation when visiting the Holy City and Folly Beach, we will all benefit from a cleaner ecosystem for the flora and fauna of the South Carolina lowcountry. Restaurants will now be switching to more eco-friendly packages, many of which have already voluntarily adopted this in the last year. Celebrating the new year and embarking on a new decade of the 21st century, it’s important to seek ways to be better stewards of planet Earth, no matter how small – even by eliminating plastic coffee stirrers.
Whether you believe in the global effects of climate change or the impact of fossil fuels or plastic production on the environment or not, much of the regulatory basis for a ban on single-use plastics is a result of the impact these products have on the marine wildlife of our oceans. Aside from reducing litter on our beaches and along our lowcountry waterways, the health and safety of ocean mammals, sea turtles, shore birds, and the seafood sources we enjoy at dinnertime are at risk.
Thinking of making your vacation more eco-friendly in the new year? While it may be a struggle to find everyday ways that you can contribute to a greener planet, when traveling there are simple ways to make a difference even before you land at your vacation destination. Additionally, Consider packing the following items that are environmentally and TSA friendly.
- Reusable water bottle
- Reusable straws like bamboo or stainless steel
- Solid toiletries – think bar soap or solid forms of shampoo
- Mesh bags for the grocery store
- Beeswax paper for packing snacks instead of ziplock baggies
- collapsible cooler
While it may seem overwhelming at times to try and “do the right thing,” even by simply incorporating small changes into the way you move through your day can have an impact on reducing your carbon footprint. As a vacation rental property management company located in the coastal lowcountry of South Carolina, we continue to look for ways to be more environmentally friendly, for both our team and our guests. From reducing the thermostat between check-ins, to offering bikes for commuting around downtown Charleston and Folly Beach, and moving toward refillable options for toiletries we know that over time, even the smallest changes matter – one less plastic coffee stirrer at a time!
Planning a trip to Charleston SC in the New Year? Whether you are headed to explore the historic, downtown peninsula, or to the beach start by booking one of our portfolio of luxury vacation rentals then let our Concierge team can help you plan a memorable vacation that includes some fun and interesting ways to discover and beauty of the lowcountry landscape.
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