There’s really nothing like a picnic to take advantage of the sun. On the other hand, there’s really nothing like a picnic to generate way too much waste.
If you’re environmentally conscious though, there’s nothing to stop you from throwing an Eco-friendly picnic party – just follow these simple tips and tricks for an all-round chic and environmentally-friendly experience. What more could you ask for?
Paperless Invites
A personalized invitation is a joy to receive – albeit one that’s becoming all too rare these days. Most events tend to be organized via Facebook invites and other social media platforms. It’s convenient, yes, but lacks that all-important personal touch.
Instead of taking to social media or texts, choose from the myriad of sites that offer you the ability to create customized e-invitations that you can quickly and easily send out.
You won’t have to fuss with stamps or postage, but your guests will still get a thoughtful message inviting them to your party. Especially handy if you’ve got any friends who refuse to use Facebook.
Make Your Own Food & Drinks
It may be tempting to bulk-buy packaged meals and drinks, but that can lead to wasted food (which you’ll have to eat or throw out – and do you really want to have to finish up all the leftover potato chips?).
Not to mention, you’ll be extending your clean-up duties to picking up discarded bottles and food packaging – especially if you’re inviting kids, who sometimes forget to throw such things away.
Instead, whip up dishes that can be easily turned into leftovers – like potato salad, chicken fingers, pasta, and other meals that you won’t mind polishing off in future.
Invite your guests to also bring something home made.
Dispose Of Food Waste Correctly
If you’ve got fruit peelings and other such items in the aftermath of a meal, instruct your guests to drop them in your compost pile.
Ensure that food and drink can be consumed as far away from the compost pile as possible, though – it’s great to be environmentally conscious, but not if your guests have to dine in close proximity to food waste.
Use Cutlery & Crockery Judiciously
There are lots of ways to employ picnic crockery and cutlery in an Eco-friendly way. If you’re using paper plates and plastic forks, be sure to recycle them rather than just throwing them away.
That way, you’re doing your bit for the environment and avoiding having to do the dishes afterward. Alternately, you can always opt for reusable plates and cutlery.
Why? The problem with single-use plastics is that they often end up in the environment, where they can cause pollution and harm wildlife. Every year, millions of tons of plastic waste are generated, and a significant amount of this ends up in the ocean.
There, it can damage delicate ecosystems and harm or kill marine animals. Single-use plastics also take hundreds of years to decompose, so they will continue to pollute our environment for generations to come.
Eco-Friendly Garden Furniture
Whether your party’s just a one-off event or you’re planning on hosting garden-based soirées throughout the balmy summer months, you should still get some Eco-friendly garden furniture.
Responsibly sourced picnic tables and garden benches reduce your carbon footprint and look prettier than ugly plastic furniture. Just because you’re dining outdoors doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style!
Encourage Guests to Use Eco-friendly Transportation
One way to reduce our environmental impact is to encourage guests to use public transportation, carpool, or bicycles to get to the picnic site. This reduces the number of vehicles on the road and helps to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
In addition, it can help to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. Bicycling is a particularly effective way to reduce pollution, as it doesn’t produce any emissions and is a good form of exercise.
If everyone makes an effort to reduce their reliance on vehicles, we can all enjoy a picnic while still doing our part to protect the environment.
What are your suggestions for throwing an Eco-friendly picnic party? I’d love to hear them – please feel free to share them in the comments!
Editor’s Note: This post has been updated for freshness and consistency.
