Urban Grind

The laws regarding smoking in public places have been changed for a while now and more changes are coming very soon. I will be honest I am biased. Not only am I one of those reformed smokers, but when people smoke out the front of the shop and it blows inside the shop, I get sick. Also with the arrival of our new born child and smoking around infants being one of the biggest contributers to cot death, I am somewhat more biased. Passive smoking is not only a real concept it has real consequences.

In short the new laws affect smoking at Urban Grind in the following ways:
- Within 4 meters of the front entrance will get the smoker fined.
- Within 4 meters of the front entrance, with an ashtray provided by us will get us fined. Hence we no longer provide ashtrays.
- In July I am told the area increases to 15 meters and whether we provide ashtrays or not both the smoker and us gets fined.

I often get the argument that cars are worse and the government should be picking on them instead of smokers. In a sense I agree. Cars are bad for our atmosphere, but it is not the government’s choices that will bring about changes, it will be our choices about lifestyle. I have made changes and have some suggestions for others:

1. Quit smoking and you will instantly produce less emissions while driving your car.
2. If it is not too far for you to walk to Urban Grind, please walk.
3. If it is too far(?), consider questioning your perception of ‘too far to walk’.
4. Get a scooter.
5. Peddle a bike.
6. Buy a diesel car and start making Biodiesel.
7. If you can afford it, they are not cheap, consider buying a hybrid car next time you are buying a new car.
8. Offset the environmental impact of getting your daily coffee, by signing up to Climate Friendly or Greenfleet. We have signed up to Green Fleet in the past and will now renew. Urban Grind as of this moment has just started saving for a Climate Friendly certificate. We will be using the tips cup to do this.
9. Catch a bus. Download a bus timetable from here. (217kb).
10. Ready for it? Find a coffee shop closer to you. I say this one to be realistic and honest. Shopping locally will reduce greenhouse gases. Of course we would much rather you keep coming to Urban Grind so please consider alternatives number 3, 5 and 9 above.

Many of these ideas not only save our atmosphere, they also save you money. And remember, it is not our atmosphere that we are messing with. It is our children’s atmosphere. Which brings me back to smoking. Maybe if children live with smoking the will learn to burn or something like that.

To be fair maybe there are some good reasons for smoking. Let us know in the comments.
Otherwise are there any other car alternatives that you might be able to share with fellow grinders?

Might be cool to also know that all Urban Grind staff either walk, catch a bus or car pool to work.