Monday, April 20, 2015

Oyster Shell Recycling Efforts Showing Progress- Langham Hotel Wins Environmental AwardAbi

Our oyster shell recycling program continues to chug along with the help of Save-That-Stuff in Charlestown. 

We have filed for a grant from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust to increase the program. Those funds would be destined for operations, funding shell collection and distribution. We also are exploring fundraising options for our own truck that we could man. We thank those area restaurants who wrote letters of support. It was great to have the support of Jasper White's Summer Shack chain. 
Oyster Shell REcycling Supporter,  Mass Oyster Project, Summer Shack Logo
Oyster restoration supporter and great restaurant.

We recycled over 500 shells from our recent event at the Boston Athenaeum in which Maine oyster farmer Abigail Carrol and wine entrepreneur Berlin Kelly both spoke eloquently.

Abigail Carrol at the Boston Athenaeum with Mass Oyster Project
Abigail Carroll told of Nonesuch Oysters
Berlin Kelly proudpour supports oyster restoration at the Boston Athenaeum
Berlin told the Proud Pour story- wines with a cause.
The Langham- Boston Hotel has been honored by Earth Check with a Gold rating for sustainability. They are the first hotel in the country to receive the award and oyster shell recycling was highlighted as a differentiator in their reveiw.  Chef Mark Sapienza has asked us to connect other of their hotels in the chain to shell recycling programs in their cities. The shell recycling even drew the attention of colleagues in Hong Kong. You can read about this well-deserved honor here.

Langham Hotel, oyster shell recycling, oyster restoration, mass oyster project
Langham Hotel Chef being interviewed by TVTokyo on Oyster Shell Recycling- Sadly, his piece did not make the final cut.
You can see the TVTokyo piece on oyster shell recycling by visiting this link.

We also have received inquiries from interested participants in the Berkshires and North Reading. This is exciting and we are honored by this interest. However, it creates logistic challenges of pick-ups or potentially finding local storage.