Late spring, summer and early warm autumn are the hottest times for outdoor picnics. This is understandable - it is much more pleasant to enjoy the sun and a warm breeze than to sit in stuffy rooms under air conditioning. If you are planning to hold team building for your company, celebrate a birthday or organize a master class on creating birdhouses - in a word, spend time in nature - think about the environment. Here are some tips on how to make your picnic not only enjoyable, but also useful.
Select a location.
Check in advance whether the chosen place is suitable for a picnic, whether it is possible to make a fire, and whether the place is a conservation area.
Think about transport.
If you are organizing an event for a large audience, take care of transportation. It is much more environmentally friendly to hire large, comfortable buses for everyone than to use a personal car for each individual participant. The most environmentally friendly thing is to use public transport or even bicycles. Therefore, if the event format allows, be sure to think about this idea.
Announce the event.
Tell your guests in advance that you are planning an eco-picnic. Have guests bring their own reusable dishes, cloth towels and glass containers.
Use a grill or electric grill.
What's summer without grilled meat and barbecue? However, many people do not think about the fact that grass does not grow on the site of the fire pit for many years, and animals and insects cannot use this land to live. If you plan to cook food over a fire, be sure to use a barbecue or electric grill, the choice of which is now huge. By the way, disposable dismountable barbecues can be handed over to metal collection points.
Do not use chemical ignition.
Not only does it release toxic substances into the atmosphere, it also settles on cooked food, which can lead to poisoning. If such a liquid falls on the ground, it kills all living things. It is not recommended to use store-bought ready-made charcoal, also impregnated with chemical solutions. If you absolutely cannot do without coal, use coconut coal - it flares up faster, emits three times more heat and is not as harmful.
Say no to disposable tableware.
After such events, a mountain of plastic remains. Minimize it as much as you can. Use reusable or recyclable utensils made from wood, corn, bamboo, etc. You can read more about alternatives to plastic tableware here.
Do not use wet wipes.
Nowadays, everyone knows about the dangers of wet wipes. They are no less harmful to nature than plastic dishes and bags: they are not recycled, clog sewers, poison the soil, and are eaten by birds and animals.
Replace wet wipes with reusable cloth wipes that you can take home and wash, or with paper towels and water. Use antiseptics. There are also water-soluble wet paper wipes that are a more environmentally friendly alternative.
We talked more about wet wipes here.
Avoid excess plastic.
Transport fruits and vegetables in cardboard boxes, fabric bags and string bags. If possible, buy products without packaging. Use glass, wood, or plastic reusable containers that will last for years (many catering services are now eliminating plastic utensils and providing reusable ones for the event). Reusable bottles and thermoses, craft and wax paper for packaging, reusable zip bags - everything can be used. Refuse disposable tablecloths and replace them with fabric ones, which can later be used at other events.
Don't buy too much.
When organizing events, products are often prepared in excess. Calculate the approximate number of guests and think about whether you really need that much food? If, after all, there is too much prepared, organize “internal” food sharing. What this is, we explained here. Don't forget about cooler bags so you don't have to throw away spoiled food.
Avoid small bottles of water.
Minimize plastic packaging by replacing small bottles with large cooler cans and paper cups or reusable bottles.
Do not dispose of dirty used water into bodies of water.
Especially those that contain soap, dishwashing liquid and other household chemicals. Do not wash dishes in bodies of water. Prepare a special canister for draining and disposing of waste water.
Clean up after yourself.
Leaving a place cleaner than you found it is the main rule of an environmental activist and a sign of a good person. Don't burn trash in a fire! This leads to large emissions of toxic substances and flue gases. Food waste can be buried in the ground, plastic and metal (foil and barbecue) can be recycled.
Try to use these simple rules in organizing an eco-picnic and enjoy your outdoor recreation to your advantage.
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