Torbay initiative: Pick up rubbish and get free coffee

The Torbay Business Association has launched a new community initiative in its bid for a cleaner environment.

The initiative, announced on August 14 via a Facebook post, will see a bucket filled with rubbish collected from Torbay beach for a free cup of coffee.

Joanne Martin, co-ordinator of the Torbay Business Association, implemented the idea, having seen it at work in nearby Mairangi Bay, where she is also co-ordinator for the local business association.

“As we live and have our businesses so close to the beaches, we thought it was vital for these two areas to make this environmental push,” she says.

The waste will be disposed by the staff of the local Four Square who will recycle what they can, and the rest will be thrown out as general waste. According to the owner of the Four Square, Sagar Patel, it will go through their usual rubbish disposal.

Some residents have already filled their buckets. “We’ve already given away a few coffees,” Mr Patel says.

However, as Mr Patel admits, there is no real way of ensuring the rubbish has come from the beach. “There’s no way for us to avoid people exploiting this . . . we’re going to rely on the locals being honest.”