Single-use plastic production has skyrocketed in recent decades because it is cheap and convenient. But the hidden costs for our environment, health, and economy are becoming hard to ignore.
One especially harmful single-use plastic is plastic foam, formally called expanded polystyrene. It’s the lightweight material that is commonly used to make clamshell takeout containers, to-go cups, and packing materials. Only 1% or less of plastic foam is recycled each year in the United States.
Oceana’s blog series, Businesses Breaking Up with Plastic, highlights companies that are tackling the plastic pollution crisis by phasing single-use plastics out of their operations or building the infrastructure and market for alternatives. These businesses are proving that solutions to help address the plastic pollution crisis not only exist but work. You can read the prior post in the series here.
Meet Lauren and Greg Soutiea, the proprietors of The Craignair Inn by the Sea and Causeway Restaurant. The property includes a 16-room inn and 95-seat restaurant in Spruce Head, Maine. The Craignair Inn has operated continuously as a small hotel since 1947. Before that, it served as a boarding house for quarry workers on Clark Island.
Tell us about your business.
For the last seven years, we have been the proprietors of The Craignair Inn by the Sea and Causeway Restaurant. The ocean is our front yard, and we see ourselves as stewards of this place — the shoreline, the island, and this stretch of the Atlantic Ocean. Care for the environment has been a priority for us for decades. Since moving to Maine’s coast and owning a business in this beautiful fishing village, we feel even more motivated to live sustainably and put our values into practice. We aim to reduce our carbon footprint, be good citizens of this town and the wider world, and share this mission with everyone we meet — from guests to staff. A rising tide lifts all boats.
What is the connection between the ocean and your business?
Spruce Head is located on the St. George Peninsula, one of the many rugged land masses extending into the Maine midcoast, with the ocean on three sides. The ocean is always present at The Craignair Inn. We watch the tides come and go from our vantage point at the end of Clark Island Road.
We swim in the sea every day of summer and encourage guests to explore it through beach visits, boating excursions, and kayaking. Our neighbors are fishermen who bring us their fresh, seasonal catch, and it’s often prepared within hours of its harvest. From day boat scallops in winter to haddock, crab, lobster, and multiple varieties of local oysters, the ocean shapes our menu. We’ve even incorporated sugar kelp (seaweed) into salads and cocktails. Our close connection deepens our respect for the ocean and all the life it contains and supports.
What are the biggest challenges in your industry when it comes to reducing single-use plastic?
It’s our culture of convenience and the false narrative around time and money that comes with it. We believe in creating a space for slowing down, being present, and using both our hands and our minds more intentionally.
Even in hospitality, it is possible to avoid single-use plastic by reusing, upcycling, and repairing. We are proud of how these practices are embedded in our operations and embraced by our staff who are always looking for solutions to avoid unnecessary waste. It takes effort, collaboration, and commitment to people and planet.
Why was it important to avoid plastic foam in your business operations from the start?
We have never used plastic foam containers. Plastic foam doesn’t align with who we are as individuals — and The Craignair Inn is an extension of our values. Our life philosophy is our business philosophy, and we put that into action at every level. There is no integrity in operating otherwise. We purposely choose brands that are eco-friendly, that are paper or plant-based whenever possible for the infrequent occasions we need to use disposable products. We use refillable, multi-use pump containers for shampoo and conditioner to avoid disposing of thousands of small plastic bottles each year. Our sheets, towels, and quilts are 100% cotton to avoid plastic fibers. We reject a culture of excess and remain mindful of where things come from, how they are made, and how much we need. It is possible to break the cycle.
Last year you took action with Oceana to promote the federal Farewell to Foam Act, which would phase out foam foodware, single-use coolers, and packing peanuts everywhere in the country. What prompted you to support that legislation?
Because we believe in people and planet over profits. Period.
Do you have a ban on polystyrene foam in your town or state?
Maine was the first state to ban polystyrene foam food containers, with the law signed in 2019 and went into effect in 2021.
By providing alternatives to single-use plastics and phasing those materials out of your operations, you’re already doing a lot to be a part of the solution. Why is it important to advocate for policy change, too?
Policy change is imperative! We know businesses that want to do better but simply can’t find viable packaging alternatives, because they don’t yet exist at scale. Policy can move behavior forward when good intentions are not enough.
Greg especially works with state legislators in Augusta to ensure the voices of eco-conscious business leaders are heard. Still, it’s up to all of us to hold our leaders accountable and keep pushing progress forward.
What does being part of the solution mean to your customers and surrounding community?
We know that being part of the solution is important to our customers. Guests of the inn seek us out because we are vegan-friendly, ocean-conscious, and known locally and nationally as a green inn and restaurant. People increasingly make travel decisions based on their values, and connecting with like-minded guests gives us the motivation to continue our work. We care deeply about our village and want to support the working waterfront in Spruce Head. We also want to protect vulnerable species, including North Atlantic right whales — and ultimately, all life on Earth. It’s not always simple, but we believe there is a path forward.
What advice would you give to other businesses who want to follow your lead?
We want others to know that it is possible to operate in accordance with an environmentally centered philosophy. You can absolutely turn a profit, be financially successful, and grow your business while not compromising what’s important to you. How we act matters. It is not too late to turn toward a life-sustaining model of civilization. We work closely with our community, and are actively involved in the local government and local business culture. We value collaboration with local partners.
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Oceana and its allies are pleased to support the Congressional Farewell to Foam Act, which would phase out the sale and distribution of polystyrene foam foodware, disposable coolers, and loose-fill packaging (packing peanuts) nationwide. Many states across the country have begun to phase out this problematic plastic, and science shows that these policies protect the environment from plastic foam pollution.
Sign Oceana’s petition to help protect our oceans from plastic pollution.
If you’re a business owner interested in advocating for change, join Oceana’s National Business Coalition for the Oceans today.
Learn more about Craignair Inn by the Sea and Causeway Restaurant and you can follow them on Instagram and Facebook @craignairinn and @causewayatcraignair.
