Many of us will be traveling to our friends' and families' homes to watch The Big Game. However, for those of you who are playing host/hostess for Sunday's match, there are some easy things that you can do to ensure that your guests practice good, green consumption practices while having a great time at your party!
1. Prepare to Go Green
Preventing waste from ultimately ending up in a landfill starts with smart planning.
* Keep it Simple
Bite sized foods eliminate the need for various cups, plates, bowls, and utensils that you might need when serving a large dinner or meal. Stick with chips, dips, mini hot dogs or hamburgers, and other small treats for munching on throughout the game.
* Use real dishes, napkins, and reusable containers
For serving your mini-bites, make sure to choose reusable trays, dishes, bowls, etc. It may take a little extra time to clean-up at the end of the night, but choosing reusable materials instead of disposable products, eliminates the fact that these materials will end up in a landfill. Not to mention, if you have trays and serving dishes already at home, you'll be saving money by not purchasing the disposable option.
* Buy in Bulk
Make the materials used to package drinks
and foods last longer by choosing to buy products that come in bulk packaging. For
example, one large bottle of soda uses less material than the cardboard box that contains canned sodas.
2. GAME DAY
It's game day, and you're all set to recycle. Here's what you'll need to have in place for Sunday's Main Event:
* The Two Bin System
In every place that you have a trash can in your home, make sure to place a Single Stream Recycling receptacle next to it. When your guests go to your "mini waste centers", you'll be forcing your guests to think about the material they have just used for consumption before opting to place it in a trash or recycling collection container. Odds are if you give them the option to recycle next to the trash, they will properly choose the correct container for disposal of their waste.
(Note: Don't force your guests to go to your garage to recycle. The inconvenience of going outside of the house will more than likely cause your guests to throw their recycling away with the trash. Besides, having to get up to go to the garage might mean missing the commercials!)
Also, If you are anticipating higher volumes of waste/recycling from your party, make sure to have trash & recycling collection points in more than one area of your home.
* Educational Posters
Educating your guests on the waste practices in your home will be
key! If you have kids, consider making some signs that can be adhered to your trash or recycling bins that remind guests to ThinkBeforeYouThrow! Simple signage goes a long way when trying to remind people to recycle. As always, make it fun and creative!
* Remind your guests
If you see guests continuing to dispose of their aluminum can or glass bottle in the trash, give them a friendly reminder that "this house has gone green for the super bowl"! Your guests will be more than willing to accommodate your waste wishes.
3. After the Game...
Whether you're a Giants or a Patriots fan, one thing will be for certain; throwing a {Green}conscious party is a win for everyone and the environment!
Good luck and Good Game!
