It’s not just wasted food that contributes to increased greenhouse gas emissions and landfill waste. Plastic packaging, contaminated recyclables and missed recycling opportunities can all impact the planet.
At your next summer barbecue, use these tips to make your event more sustainably minded. You may inspire friends and family to do the same when they host, which can create a positive ripple effect in your community and beyond.
Shop what’s in season
This first tip benefits both the environment and your wallet. When you shop for in-season produce, fewer resources are required to grow it, because it’s more naturally plentiful. That means, there’s less energy used to transport food from farther away, less reliance on chemicals to modify harvests or protect food traveling long distances, and lower food costs.
In the summer, some of the delicious barbecue-friendly produce that’s in-season includes:
- Pineapples
- Summer squash
- Tomatoes
- Onions
- Peaches
- Zucchini
- Bell peppers
- Watermelon
- Corn
- Eggplant
When you menu plan, look up in-season produce to serve your guests before you shop. Also, be mindful of how many guests you expect and what their food preferences are. This knowledge can help you shop more intentionally, so you don’t over-buy and end up throwing away extra food.
Promote recycling to guests
It’s great to get guests to recycle more at your summer barbecue, but you also want to prevent recycling contaminants from getting into your bin. Non-recyclables in a recycling bin could result in the whole load being tossed in the trash once the truck picks it up.
To maximize recycling opportunities at your barbecue:
- Offer a recycling bin that’s separate from the trash. Tell guests what’s recyclable, or label the bin with what can be tossed inside.
- Remind guests to only throw in items that are empty, clean and dry. Generally, these will be empty aluminum cans, from items like soda. Dirty plates, even when they’re made of recyclable materials like paper, can’t be recycled. Plastic should be limited to hard plastics, since flimsy plastic like food wrapping isn’t recyclable.
- Mention recycling when you point out the trash can. Awareness can help increase your recycling output.
If you want to go a step further, do a quality check on the recyclables your guests have thrown in before you place them in your larger cart. Rinse and dry recyclables, and remove trash waste that was accidentally thrown in.
Offer a compost bin
Food waste is one of the most significant contributors to greenhouse gases, which contributes to climate change. A compost pile can turn food waste into healthy organic compost and help you reduce your greenhouse gas footprint.
Encourage guests to scrape fruit and vegetable waste into an organics bin. If you use compostable dishware, that can go in the compost bin, too. Once you’ve created a backyard compost pile, you can toss those food scraps and compostable dishware into the pile.
Send guests home with leftovers
When guests leave your barbecue, encourage them to take home extra food in sustainable containers. If you’re using single-use disposable containers, use a compostable brand. Or, send guests home with reusable containers they can keep or return to you later.
The same goes for the dishware during the barbecue: use compostable dishware that will break down more easily in landfills or in your compost pile. You can also use real dishware that you can wash and keep, instead of throwing away.
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