Picnics with Less Plastic



In celebration of the Traverse City Cherry Festival and the warm days ahead, we wanted to highlight one of our favorite summer activities. For many, picnicking in a park or near Lake Michigan is a summer tradition. In keeping with our #getoffthebottle campaign and dedication to reducing our single-use plastic footprint, we've made some easy swaps to make your family's picnic zero waste. 

Happy picnicking!

Zero waste picnic

Before: sandwich, chips, pear, carrots, fruit salad, cookies, water

Typical picnic

Before: sandwich, chips, pear, carrots, fruit salad, cookies, water

 

After: Tupperware, reusable water bottle, cloth napkins, metal silverware

 

After: plastic wrappers, single-use plastic bags, single use-plastic water bottle, plastic silverware, paper napkins

We were really surprised at how much trash we generated from what we thought would be a pretty low-impact picnic. Some of these items can be recycled (bottle, some of the plastic containers), but it's not always easy to find a recycling bin, and often these items end up in the trash. We hope that these images make us think twice about our plastic footprint.

Tips for a zero waste picnic:

  • Plan out foods that don’t need a lot of waste.
    • Finger foods make great picnic fare! Sandwiches, crackers, cheese and meats, whole fruit and vegetables, cookies.
  • Bring an apple and an orange instead of a pre-cut fruit salad that you would eat with a fork.
  • If you do want a salad (greens, potato, pasta, etc), put it in a tupperware and bring your own reusable forks and spoons.
  • Be creative in packaging like putting chips or crackers in a tupperware container (versus a single use plastic bag), or wrapping items in a cloth.
  • Bring your own water bottle filled with water or a summer drink, like lemonade or tea.
  • Make sure not to leave any trash behind & recycle what you can!

 

Happy Cherry Fest & 4th of July week!


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