Hong Kong's first sustainable bar Penicillin – the brainchild of former The Old Man owners Agung Prabowo and Roman Ghale – partners with ecoSpirits – a zero-waste spirits packaging solution – for a reforestation programme that allows guests to participate through cocktail sales.
Roman Ghale holding an ecoTote
The initiative is under the ecoSpirits' current collaboration with Green Steps Group – a Swedish-based tech company that provides governance for the tree planting organisations and the measurement of the CO2 output for the reforestation programme. The project ensures that every time a bar purchases one 4.5L ecoTote – a reusable and refillable spirits vessel that helps businesses save on costs and mitigates bar industry waste associated with single-use glass –one tree is planted at the reforestation tract of the endangered Kalimantan rainforest in Borneo, Indonesia. Each tree planted is geo-tagged in the partner venue's name using Green Steps Group's proprietary 'proof of planting' technology platform.
At Penicillin, the programme warrants that every sale of One Penicillin, One Tree cocktail ($110), will secure planting one native Mallotus Muticus tree (also called the swamp tree) in the Kalimantan rainforest. According to Penicillin, the fast-growing upper canopy tree can reach up to 42m in height and live for more than 200 years. Throughout its lifespan, the tree can eliminate 4,400kg of CO2, equivalent to 8,000 single-use glass spirit bottles. Each One Penicillin, One Tree cocktail (ingredients and offering will change per season) saves an average of 150g in CO2 emissions.
Since its opening in 2020, Penicillin strives to produce minimal waste for their bar operations, using creative ways to recycle and upcycle common kitchen waste through brewing, fermenting, growing, and re-using ingredients for their menu.
Agung Prabowo
Penicillin operates with a catering license, so the bar is currently open Monday to Saturday, 12pm to 6pm. Drop by to taste the current offering for their One Penicillin, One Tree cocktail programme. For those staying at home, orders made through Deliveroo between 3pm to 6pm can avail a 10 percent discount for $100 purchase.
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