How to Plan a Green 4th of July (or Any Outdoor Celebration!)

With the Fourth of July right around the corner, and a multitude of *socially distant* celebrations on the calendar, we want to help everyone make the most of the holiday while still keeping Mother Earth in mind. We fully understand that entertaining often leads to excess trash and added waste. With that being said, we’re sharing a few of our own tips and tricks for planning any eco-conscious celebration.

Image via Brandless

Get outside! This should be a given, especially given the pandemic, but be sure to get outside with family and friends this holiday. Not only is enjoying the outdoors good for the soul, but it also reduces the reliance on energy to keep temps cool indoors. Take some deep breaths outside and enjoy nature. If you live in the city, add some outdoor plants to your patio or rooftop to bring more nature into your soirè.

Opt for reusable partyware. Long gone are the days of plastic or styrofoam (gasp!) plates, cups and silverware. If guests are concerned about germs, ask that they bring their own reusable utensils or gift them to guests as party favors. Good friends help other friends be kind to the planet :) If convenience and disposability are non-negotiable, there are some great options for compostable and biodegradable disposable partyware. Look for brands like Eco Products and World Centric.

Use propane when grilling. Studies show that liquefied petroleum gas is much more efficient than alternative charcoal when cooking. Just be sure to purchase the trade-in option when buying the propane tank, allowing you to earn a discount the next time you bring the tank back to be refilled.

Reuse decorations. Before heading to the store, sift through storage to see if you already have decorations from past years. Chances are if you don’t, you know someone who does and a lot of times, they will thank you for getting them off their hands. After all, sharing is caring.

Limit the use of fireworks. Sadly enough, July 4th is notoriously one of the worst days of the year in terms of air quality. America’s love for fireworks is a major contributor, pushing propellants, colorants, and heavy metals into the atmosphere, water, and soil. Be mindful of this when lighting fireworks, and consider going somewhere you can watch fireworks without lighting more yourself. For an even more sustainable option, consider non-smoking alternatives such as eco-friendly floating lanterns, solar-powered LED string lights, light projectors, or a laser light show.

Invite guests to bring reusable storage containers. There almost always seems to be leftovers following a gathering, so ask guests to bring their own storage containers to pack some goodies to go.

Compost the rest. Prevent unnecessary food waste by composting any scraps or other compostable items.

Go meatless! Eating plant-based is the most sustainable thing one can do for the planet. Not sure what to make? We’ve got you! Check out our recent blog post sharing 4 delicious veggie-burger recipes and more over on the blog.

Make disposal easy. In 2020, the recycling bin should always be easier to find than a garbage can. Make recycling easy for guests by clearly labeling bins and directing them on how to properly dispose of waste. If you are using compostable disposables and you live in an area with commercial composting, provide receptacles for them as well. Even if your neighborhood doesn’t offer curbside organics pickup (for commercial composting) the planet is way better off with those items ending up in landfills then a traditional disposable item, as these will break down faster.

PS - This year, we’re going the extra mile to help combat the broken system that is our waste management in the United States. Knowing that 90%+ of what is recycled never actually gets recycled, we’ve launched the BtrBtl™. The BtrlBtl™ is our best effort to-date for a complete life-cycle solution for our product packaging.

BtrBtl™ will recycle the same as any plastic bottle with no negative impact on the recycling stream. But, should it end up in a landfill, BtrBtl™’s increased biodegradation allows for a conversion of the packaging into usable energy, breaking down into water, soil and carbon-based gases.* This summer, find our new BtrBtl(™) on store shelves near you. To find a retailer near you, click here.

*Accelerated biodegradation based on ASTM D5526-94 testing showing that the treated PET used for the BtrBtl™ biodegrades 31.7–37.0% after 391 days in active landfill conditions compared to 2% biodegradation of untreated PET.