Picnics with Less Plastic

Zero waste picnic

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

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.
  • Pro tip: Check out the FLOW Store for a Great Lakes water bottle!
• Make sure not to leave any trash behind & recycle what you can!

Happy Cherry Fest & 4th of July week!