Green up Your Picnic

With the economy the way it is these days, people are choosing to spend time close to home and picnicking is one of the ways we can enjoy our families, friends, good food and nature without a huge out of pocket expense. You can purchase a great rolling cooler or picnic basket or backpack complete with dishes, glasses and utensil services and cooler compartments for about what it would cost for a family of four to have dinner at a restaurant. Plus you can enjoy it over and over again at outdoor concerts, picnics and days at the beach.

Here are 10 ways that you can help “green up” your picnics.

1.                Choose a Location Near You 

Hosting your own picnic? Choose a picnic site close to home, and walk or bike to your picnic location instead of driving. Look for a green space nearby — a local park, a sports field, or a friend’s backyard!

2.                  Use Re-Usable or Compostable Serveware

Instead of packing paper plates and disposable utensils, pack serveware that you can wash and use again and encourage your guests to do the same. There are picnic baskets and backpacks, and even rolling coolers with services for two or four people available at the Getaway Gourmet.

3.                  Bring Healthy Foods

The lower a food is on the food chain, the lower its impact on the environment. For example, it takes about 634 gallons of water to make a hamburger. So, add more fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes to your picnic meal — those things are good for you and the planet!

4.                  Pack Local, In-Season Ingredients 

Nothing ruins an eating-well high in the U.S. faster than seeing a sticker on your apple that says New Zealand (no offense, kiwis!).  Prevent the shipping-around-the-world blues by picking up your produce from a local farmer’s market.

5.                  Lose the Napkins

No one wants to walk around with mustard on her face, but paper napkins aren’t the answer. If you don’t have one of the picnic products from the Getaway Gourmet, use the picnic as an opportunity to use that cute gingham handkerchief that came with your cowboy Halloween costume five years ago. Or, you know, any old cloth napkin will do.

6.                  Compost and Recycle Your Trash

I bet someone at your picnic has a compost bin (Are you ready to give it a try? It’s easy!). Enlist that person to take home all the compostable scraps from the event, and another person to collect any recyclables.

7.                  Clean Your Picnic Site 

A good picnicker is one that doesn’t leave trash at his picnic site. A great picnicker is one who picks up trash at this picnic site. Use the picnic as an opportunity to make your local green space just a little greener.

8.                  Enjoy Nature

Once your meal is over, take some time to enjoy your natural setting. Take a hike, go bird-watching or just sit back and enjoy the sounds of nature. Have kids in tow? Try this Nature Treasure Hunt!

9.                  Use Electronics Wisely

Picnics are about reconnecting with nature, but we know that your electronic devices will make an appearance. Be sure to unplug your chargers when not in use to avoid “vampire power,” which accounts for about 10 percent of household energy usage.

10.              Support Nature! 

Help protect the places that you love to picnic by supporting environmental protection organizations!