Where I live, it’s summertime and that means parties, picnics, beach time, great friends, food, and drink. It is so easy to go to the local discount store and get paper, plastic or Styrofoam plates and cups. We tend to lean towards plastic cutlery and paper napkins because we see all these festive designs but, our fun does not have to hurt the environment.
I ask you to consider the various options for outdoor parties and picnics:
- Use cloth napkins or rags. Want them to be festive? Check with friends and relatives that make quilts, sew or just have old fabric around from years past. You can also purchase some holiday related fabric but, to save money, buy remnant fabric after the holiday is over. If you aren’t good at sewing (like me), cut the fabric with pinking shears around the edges (unless you are able to stitch the edges) to keep them from fraying.
- Ask friends or search rummage sales, resale shops or grandma’s attic for plastic camping type dishes to use over and over for outdoor events.
- Use real silverware and bring a cloth bag to take home the dirty dishes to wash.
- If you or your guests bring food from the deli, they generally come in plastic container with nice sealing lids; save the containers to store food in later. They also freeze food well, like soups and stews. I place the deli containers in old bread bags or cereal liners to add extra protection from freezer burn.
Recently, friends brought breakfast rolls for our camping trip that came on aluminum trays. They made great grilling trays for onions, garlic, and veggies, just add a bit of olive oil to keep from sticking.
Although these simple steps may be obvious, I have attended far too many parties where people forget how much these simple things can save the environment as well as money- so here’s a friendly reminder. Enjoy the summer fun!
Got more ideas? Comment below and share your eco-friendly summer ideas. Thanks for reading and helping spread eco-consciousness!
The Thrifty Naturalist 