The stats are pretty scary.
According to the World Economic Forum, by 2050 the quantity of plastic in the oceans will outweigh that of fish. And in response to that, restaurants around Abu Dhabi are shunning straws and single-use plastics, and looking for more eco-friendly ways of operating their businesses.
Here are just some of the hotels and restaurants who are doing their bit.
Bareburger
You might presume that a burger chain isn’t the most likely of companies to be eco-friendly. But Bareburger at Marina Mall is environmentally aware. The walls, ceilings and even the pieces of furniture at this casual restaurant are made from recyclable or sustainable materials, while the vegetables are locally grown and the meat is responsibly sourced.
Open Mon, Thu, Fri 10am-midnight; Sat, Tue, Wed 10am-11pm. Marina Mall, Corniche Breakwater (02 441 1723).
Bloom Vegan Kitchen
This brand-new delivery outlet opened in April 2019 in Dubai and it has just arrived in Abu Dhabi. All the packaging is recyclable.
“Nature is our best friend and we aim to cherish it,” says the team. “That’s why our packaging is 90 percent recyclable and we’ll keep on improving.” Good on them.
www.bloomvegankitchen.com.
Royal Orchid
Seeing the huge amount of plastic packaging that often comes with your takeaway can be enough to remove some of the pleasure of eating it, but pan-Asian restaurant Royal Orchid now doesn’t send out plastic cutlery unless it’s specifically asked for (which is a bit of a weird request, we think). It is also removing plastic water glasses and plastic water bottles.
Daily 11.30am- 11pm. Various locations, including The Galleria, Al Maryah Island (02 677 7301).
Skinny Genie
It’s only appropriate that this healthy café found a home in Masdar City. The organic, gluten-free meals are all served in recyclable glass jars, so you won’t find any single-use plastic packaging or cutlery anywhere in this friendly eatery. Even takeaway orders are delivered in reusable cotton bags instead of plastic, so you have an extra excuse to treat yourself to a fresh salad or warming main.
Sat-Thu 9am-11pm, Fri 11am-11pm. Siemens Building, Masdar City (02 555 5897).
Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort
The luxurious hotel isn’t just an amazing place for a staycation. The ‘eco-conscious resort’ is dedicated to protecting the beautiful natural environment of Saadiyat Island and the area’s wildlife.
Instead of providing plastic bottles of water in each bedroom, guests are provided with a complimentary reusable plastic bottle which can be filled up from locally filtered water stations throughout the resort. It’s the same at The Abu Dhabi EDITION in Al Bateen, too.
There’s no plastic straws in any of the Jumeirah hotel’s dining outlets and the resort also has its own marine and environment manager who works towards protecting the local wildlife.
The hotel recently worked with the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi to release over 70 hawksbill turtles back into the wild, and more projects are planned for the future.
Saadiyat Island (02 811 4444).
Don’t forget delivery.
We probably spend more than we care to admit on Deliveroo, and it can lead to a large amount of plastic waste. Figurers from researchers KPMG last year found that around three in four residents in the Emirates order delivery food at least once a week. Sure, you’d be better off going to the market and cooking your own veggies, but that’s not always an option. Want to avoid plastic waste? Opt for venues using less packaging and choose not to add cutlery. Just click that “no cutlery” button.
