How to Have a Green 4th of July

How to Have a Green 4 th of July Anxious to kick off the BBQ season this 4 th of July, but wondering how to wreak less havoc on Mother Earth? Here are a few tips to help you celebrate an eco-conscious Independence Day and go red, white, blue and green! 1. Keep It Local: Serving locally grown and prepared foods is a terrific way to host a green 4 th of July while supporting your local community. Seeking out farmers and other food producers in your town, or in your region, instead of serving foods imported from other places, cuts down on the carbon emissions that would be created by the trucks, trains, boats and vans that are used to transport food. The less transportation the food undergoes between the farm and your dining table, the less carbon emissions there are, so going local is a great step to a greener holiday. 2. Use Creative Earth-Friendly Alternatives Instead of Harmful Plastic: Whether you’re out on a picnic or hosting a big BBq bash in your backyard, you will probably be using disposable dishes to serve your guests. We all know that plastic is way bad for the environment, but you can still cut down on the damage with the help of a few nifty ideas. For example, you can ask all your guests to show up with their own cup or beer mug, meaning less plastic cups getting tossed out at the end of the day, or even better, opt for eco-friendly picnic ware - Eatware compostable food containers, bamboo plates, and biodegradable cups can all be found at most supermarkets. 3. Green Up Your Grill Despite the smoke and ash, barbecuing can actually be a relatively eco-friendly pastime if you choose your material with care. There are a variety of sustainably-produced charcoal, like Wicked Good Charcoal, made from industrial scrap wood, or Kingsford Charwood, which is produced using clean-energy turbine heat. And surprisingly, propane still produces close to half the emissions of generic charcoals. 4. Be a Green Host - Set an Example! If you are hosting a 4 th of July party in your home, make sure to cut down on paper waste by sending e-mail invitations to your guests. Websites like Evite.com offer some pretty nifty decorative templates you can use. If you don’t feel comfortable using email, you can make your own recycled stationary to use, from old scraps of construction paper or wrapping paper, or simply pick up the phone. Encourage your guests to carpool or hop on their bicycle to get to your house, rather than everybody driving separate cars. 5. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! This should be obvious, but we really can’t stress it enough – after you’re done celebrating America’s birthday, don’t forget to clean up. Inspect the area and gather all the empty soda cans and glass beer bottles you can find, round them all up and deliver them to the proper recycling facilities in your area. Have a happy and GREEN 4th of July!