 | Tips for "Green" PicnickingPicnicking dates back to the Renaissance when hunters celebrated their
conquests with an outdoor feast complete with spit roasted game and
pewter tableware. Today, in the age of global warming, soaring fuel
costs, and dwindling natural resources, this centuries’ old
pastime can be enjoyed as is a simple pleasure that uses little
resources and leaves a minimal footprint on the
environment—even if “the hunt” is for a
peaceful natural setting in which to enjoy your meal.
Following are tips to help you plan a truly “green”
picnic that preserves natural resources, including eco friendly ideas
that will actually add to your picnicking enjoyment:
• If it’s throwaway
don’t stow it away in your picnic basket—Packing
picnic foods in foil, plastic wrap or plastic baggies is the biggest
“anti green” offense picnickers can make. You can
preserve natural resources and reduce your amount of potential litter
by using re usable food storage containers and re usable picnic ware,
including melamine cups and plates, acrylic glasses, thermos mugs
(never use Styrofoam for hot beverages), plastic or stainless steel
utensils, even cloth napkins. You can start, of course, by choosing a
reusable picnic basket or picnic
tote bag.
Outdora has hundreds of traditional picnic
baskets, picnic shoulder packs,
and picnic totes to choose from, many fully equipped with flatware and
utensils conveniently stowed in customized compartments for staying put
en route to your picnic destination. You’ll never have to
pack disposable picnic gear again.
• Shop locally, eat organically,
and enjoy more tasty food—You can reduce your impact on the
environment by purchasing your food locally. By driving a shorter
distance to a local market, you use less fossil fuel to get your picnic
goodies from the store to your picnic basket. Even better, ride a
bicycle. Opting for organic foods is also a choice that promotes a
healthier environment, and some believe, a healthier you. Organic foods
are grown without the use of pesticides, hormones, petroleum
fertilizers or chemicals, so the farming techniques used to cultivate
them are far less damaging to the environment than the more
conventional farming methods used to produce non organic foods. And, as
many have discovered, organic foods, including organically grown fruits
and vegetables, are more flavorful.
• Picnic close to home, take
public transportation, walk the longest trail—You can help
cut down on pollution, including gas emissions that cause the
greenhouse effect of global warming, by choosing a picnic site you can
walk to, by taking a local bus to your picnic destination, or, if you
do drive, by driving the shortest route and opting for the longest
hiking trail to your picnic site. You’ll get more exercise
and have more of the great outdoors to explore. Outdora carries many
easy to carry picnic
backpacks that keep your picnic
goodies fresh and your hands free to negotiate challenging trails and
hikes.
• Befriend flora and fauna but
don’t bring it home— While trying to minimize your
overall carbon footprint by adopting “green”
picnicking practices, don’t overlook the impact that your
actual footprints have on the environment. Stay on paths and hiking
trails while enjoying and exploring nature and teach children to do the
same. Also, inspire children to admire but not pick flowers and to
watch but not feed wildlife.
• Pack it up and take it home to
recycle—Bring home and recycle any waste generated by your
picnic. It’s never too early to teach children to be
responsible stewards of their environment, so have them pick up and
pack any litter they generate. Outdora carries special kids picnic
backpacks complete with reusable plates, cups and utensils for
inspiring green picnicking. Children will take pride in
toting their own picnic goodies in their own picnic backpack.
|
|
