Measures proposed by Brighton and Hove City Council on 18 March could outlaw single-use BBQs and ketchup sachets in a bid to reduce carbon emissions and pollution rates. 

Single-use BBQs could be banned in public places such as parks and beaches as councillors attempt to reduce the city’s carbon footprint. Not only do they use charcoal as opposed to cleaner energies, such as gas and electric, but they are often coated in plastic, another big polluter.

Additionally, research conducted by the University of Manchester found that BBQs on average emit more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than an 80-mile journey in a car, when cooking for four people.

A ban on single-use ketchup sachets has also been suggested by Green councillor Jamie Lloyd to reduce the amount of food-related litter left in and around the city. 

The impact of banning these items could be huge. One day’s worth of litter totalled over 11 tonnes last summer on a Brighton beach, as tourists and residents alike descended on the coastal city to enjoy the summer sun. 

Following the announcement of the proposed measures, residents took to social media to share their views, both positive and negative.

‘This might just be the last straw’, one Sun reader states regarding the future of the Green Party in Brighton, with others poking fun at the possibility of ‘the BBQ police’, preventing their use on beaches and within public parks. 

Others, however, have expressed support for the ban, stating it will prevent individuals from ‘ponking up our beach and air’, encouraging their peers to question whether it is ‘the end of the world’ to not be allowed to barbecue food in public spaces. 

As national climate change policies have been introduced and climate assemblies formed around the globe, Brighton and Hove Council was among one the first councils in the UK to declare a climate emergency, subsequently setting a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030, committing to cutting carbon emissions by several hundred thousand tonnes. 

Although these controversial proposals are subject to review, and may not even pass as law, it is clear that the measures are an attempt by Brighton and Hove City Council to fulfil its commitment to implementing effective measures to reduce carbon emissions whilst increasing recycling rates and promoting more sustainable lifestyle choices in the city and surrounding areas.

Picture Credit: Wordridden

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