Summer Parties
|by Lauren Taylor
with Eco Flair
Whether it’s your Memorial Day cookout, Fourth of July pool party, or any summer gathering in between… there are plenty of ways maintain your ecofriendly lifestyle while having fun.
Buy Local Fresh food is a highlight of any summer party. Buying produce from your local farmer’s market guarantees the freshest, tastiest food. Your party’s carbon footprint drops significantly when nothing travels hundreds of miles to get there.
Keep it Outside Although it might be tempting to sneak inside to escape the heat, consider an all-outdoors party. Turn the thermostat up, and your partygoers will be less likely to hang out in the house. Make sure there are ways for your guests to cool down, whether it’s a shady area, cool drinks or a dip in the pool!
Green Your Grill Grilled food is a summer party staple. Although neither propane nor charcoal is perfect, charcoal releases about twice the amount of CO2 as propane. Natural gas is the optimum choice, so if your family grills often, it may be worthwhile to connect your grill to your home’s gas supply.
Ditch the Paper Plates
Don’t Forget to Recycle!
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There’s no need for your celebration to create a bunch of waste. Compost the food scraps and recycle the items your area accepts: plastic, aluminum, and glass. Cups, chip bags, and drink pouches can be recycled through TerraCycle’s free collection program, where two cents for each item goes to a charity of the collector’s choice.
Photography by Jeroen Adema
Unlike most paper, paper plates can’t be recycled due to leftover food residue and any wax coating on the plate. Instead, try to use reusable dishware. If that’s not possible, plastic plates and utensils are a more optimal choice compared to paper because when rinsed off they can be thrown in your recycling bin with the rest of your plastic.